March Power Poll Results: Coronavirus in Memphis

Concern about the long-term economic impact of the coronavirus on Memphis is greater than concerns about long-term health impact, according to the latest Memphis Power Poll results released Thursday.

The Power Poll is a monthly survey sent to more than 425 influential business, political, nonprofit and cultural leaders in the Bluff City, presented by The Commercial Appeal and sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

The March Power Poll focused on the impact of the coronavirus in Memphis.

While concern over the impact of the virus, both in terms of the public health and economy is high, so is the confidence in how Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland has responded to the crisis, with more than 88 percent saying it is "Excellent" or "Good."

The state response from Gov. Bill Lee is not as good with more than 50 saying it was "Poor," "Very Poor" or having no opinion.

The March Memphis Power Poll:

What is your level of worry/concern about coronavirus having a long-term impact on public health?

• 33.33% - Very worried/concerned
• 43.01% - Worried/concerned
• 23.66% - Not too worried or concerned
•   0.00% - Not worried or concerned at all

How worried are you about the long-term impact of the coronavirus from an economic standpoint?

• 55.91% - Very worried/concerned
• 38.71% - Worried/concerned
•   5.38% - Not too worried or concerned
•   0.00% - Not worried or concerned at all

Which industry do you fear will have the greatest long-term negative impact as a result of the virus?

• 19.35% - Tourism
• 30.11% - Restaurants
•   6.45% - Hotels
•   2.15% - Real Estate
•   8.60% - I think they will all come back together
• 33.33% - I think they will all suffer equally

The new buzzword is “social distancing.” How much have you changed your personal behavior because of the coronavirus threat?

• 80.65% - A lot — my life is drastically different
• 19.35% - Some — I have made changes, but they have caused minimal disruption
•   0.00% - Not much — my life is pretty much the same as it was before

How has Mayor Jim Strickland and his administration done so far in responding to the coronavirus threat?

• 38.71% - Excellent
• 49.46% - Good
•   5.38% - No opinion
•   6.45% - Poor
•   0.00% - Very Poor

How has Gov. Bill Lee and his administration done so far in responding to the coronavirus threat?

•   8.60% - Excellent
• 39.78% - Good
• 11.83% - No opinion
• 35.48% - Poor
•   4.30% - Very Poor