Only a fraction of U.S. physicians believe the government is taking strong precautions against the spread of the new strain of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, according to a new survey.
Market research firm InCrowd polled 150 U.S. physicians on Feb. 26 and 27. Respondents included emergency medicine or critical care specialists, pediatricians and primary care physicians.
Six survey findings:
1. Only 16 percent of physicians said they felt the U.S. government was taking strong precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
2. Confidence in the World Health Organization and governments abroad was higher, however, with 27 percent of physicians saying they were taking strong precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
3. Fourteen percent of physicians said they felt very prepared to treat a possible COVID-19 patient.
4. Thirty-seven percent of physicians reported their patients were concerned about the spread of COVID-19.
5. Less than half (38 percent) said that the hospitals or facilities where they practiced were prepared to treat patients with COVID-19.
6. Only 20 percent of respondents reported having access to COVID-19 test kits, and 11 percent said they don't know if they have access to a test kit.