New Yorkers are bracing themselves for a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic as new cases have largely flattened out in the state, but are surging elsewhere in the country, a Siena College poll released Monday morning found.
The poll found 62 percent of New Yorkers surveyed expect the worst of the pandemic is yet to come, while 27 percent think the worst is over.
By a margin of 70 percent to 20 percent, New York residents believe the government's top job during the pandemic is containing its spread, even if it hurts the economy.
And a large majority, 82 percent, believe it is somewhat or very likely another outbreak will hit the state in the fall.
The poll comes as New York's coronavirus cases have leveled off to a positive rate of about 1 percent out of the tens of thousands of tests that are conducted each day in the state.
New York's economy has been gradually reopening since May, albeit with adjustments along the way. Malls began opening in most parts of the state on Friday after a delay and with the requirement an air filtration unit be installed to filter out COVID-19 particles.
Indoor dining in New York City, which was especially hard hit by the pandemic, is not being allowed for now.
But big questions remain over whether and how schools will restart in the coming weeks. A formal decision from the state is expected the first week in August; a guidance is due out later Monday.
A combined 64 percent of New Yorkers believe it is very likely or somewhat likely schools in their area will be open by September, while 38 percent of residents polled are more skeptical.
Precautions remain in place, including a 14-day quarantine for people who have traveled to New York from states with high infection rates.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state officials have urged New Yorkers to socially distance and wear masks when they cannot.
Ninety percent of New Yorkers say they are wearing masks either completely or as much as they can when they are out of the house and social distancing can't be maintained.
The poll of 810 New York residents was conducted from June 28 to July 2 and July 6 to July 8. It has a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.