Half of all New York City residents know someone who has died from coronavirus: Siena poll

ALBANY — More than half of all New Yorkers say they personally know someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, and a majority of city residents know someone who has died during the pandemic, according to a Siena College poll released Monday.

A total of 51% of state residents surveyed know someone who has been infected with COVID-19, including 60% of people in the five boroughs and 67% of respondents in the downstate suburbs.

Last month, less than one-third of state residents knew someone who had tested positive for COVID-19, according to Siena pollster Steve Greenberg.

Roughly 46% of city voters know someone who has died from the coronavirus, as do 36% of suburbanites.

The grim statistic came as Gov. Cuomo announced Sunday the state’s daily death toll dropped below 400 for the first time this month.

The governor said 367 New Yorkers died from the respiratory illness a day earlier.

Cuomo attributed the decline to people taking the virus seriously and adhering to social distancing.

The survey found that the governor’s decision to extend the state’s stay-at-home order until May 15 as well as his call for people to wear masks in public both have overwhelming support from voters.

“While you cannot find a single issue that would generate unanimous support from all 12 million New York voters, Cuomo’s order that face masks or coverings must be worn in public – when social distancing cannot be maintained – comes as close as any issue Siena College has ever polled,” Greenberg said, noting 86% of people approve of the order.

“Similarly, the Governor’s decision to extend New York ‘On Pause’ – keeping schools and non-essential businesses closed – through the middle of May is supported by at least 81% of voters from every party, region, gender, race, or religion.”

Only a third of respondents think it very or somewhat likely large public gatherings, such as sporting events, concerts or graduations, will resume this summer, while 67% think it is not very or not at all likely, the survey found.

Similarly, if such events were to resume this summer, 69% say it is unlikely they would attend, compared with 31% saying it’s likely they would.

“New Yorkers are not optimistic that concerts, sporting events and other large public gatherings will resume by this summer. Republicans are a bit more optimistic but they are only evenly divided,” Greenberg said.

Cuomo’s popularity, meanwhile, continues to soar amid the coronavirus crisis, the poll also found.

The governor’s favorability rating is at 77%, up from 71% last month, matching his highest ever in February 2011. His job performance rating is 71%, up from 63% last month, his best ever.

“Mired in middling poll numbers for the last two years, Cuomo is feeling the love from New Yorkers of all stripes in year three of his third term, and his first global pandemic," Greenberg said.

New Yorkers also overwhelmingly trust Cuomo more than President Trump when it comes to making decisions about reopening the state and its economy with 16% of all voters, and only 36% of Republicans, trusting Trump, compared with 78%, and 56% of Republicans, saying they trust Cuomo.

"Even self-identified conservatives trust Cuomo more, 57-34%,” Greenberg said.