Americans would rather return to lockdown if coronavirus cases spike

Governors may soon have tough decisions to make as coronavirus infections continue to increase in the U.S., and new data shows Americans are clearly in favor of shutting economies down again rather than risk infection.

Driving the news: A new survey from data firm CivicScience of nearly 2,500 U.S. adults finds 65% of the general population over the age of 18 supports returning to lockdown if cases of COVID-19 rise significantly.

• Worse for those hoping to avoid a second wave of widespread business closures — those most in favor of shutting down again are older Americans, who are most vulnerable to dying from the virus and also consistent and outspoken voters.

Flashback: Public opinion is turning in states governed by Republicans and won by President Trump in 2016 that are seeing increased infection rates.

• People in states like Texas, Arizona and Nevada, which have seen record high infection rates, are developing a heightened sense of risk and taking steps to dial back their exposure, according to the latest installment of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

What they're saying: "In the places with the highest rates of increase, people are adjusting their behavior," said Cliff Young, president of Ipsos U.S. public affairs. "The more proximate it is, the greater the likelihood they adjust their behavior."