Essential Report
Views towards impact of increasing Covid-19 cases on public health system
Q. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your state’s public health system during the Covid-19 pandemic?
TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither disagree nor agree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
My state’s public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations | 55% | 19% | 27% | 28% | 27% | 14% | 4% |
The federal government is planning to ease restrictions without paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases | 53% | 19% | 26% | 27% | 28% | 13% | 6% |
My state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations | 40% | 29% | 13% | 27% | 31% | 17% | 12% |
People vaccinated against Covid-19 should be prioritised for medical attention over unvaccinated people | 39% | 34% | 18% | 21% | 28% | 14% | 20% |
- Over half of people believe that the public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations (55%), and that the federal government is not paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases (53%).
TOTAL: Agree | Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
My state’s public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations | 55% | 52% | 57% | 52% | 57% | 54% | 56% | 57% | 54% | 47% | ||
The federal government is planning to ease restrictions without paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases | 53% | 54% | 53% | 54% | 54% | 52% | 62% | 48% | 61% | 53% | ||
My state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations | 40% | 46% | 34% | 48% | 40% | 33% | 37% | 51% | 33% | 33% | ||
People vaccinated against Covid-19 should be prioritised for medical attention over unvaccinated people | 39% | 44% | 33% | 42% | 39% | 35% | 35% | 48% | 40% | 33% | ||
Base (n) | 1,100 | 539 | 561 | 341 | 374 | 385 | 367 | 389 | 103 | 145 | ||
- Coalition voters are most likely to believe that their state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations (51%).
TOTAL: Agree | State | ||||
NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | |
My state’s public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations | 61% | 53% | 43% | 56% | 66% |
The federal government is planning to ease restrictions without paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases | 55% | 50% | 52% | 50% | 65% |
My state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations | 42% | 44% | 39% | 23% | 37% |
People vaccinated against Covid-19 should be prioritised for medical attention over unvaccinated people | 40% | 42% | 38% | 31% | 39% |
Base (n) | 352 | 274 | 217 | 89 | 111 |
- However, South Australians are most concerned, with just 23% agreeing that any surges in Covid-19 hospitalisations can be managed by SA’s public health system.

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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