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Lockdown is not a plan “foisted” on unwilling masses, the people want it

Far from being imposed from above, lockdowns in the face of a pandemic are just democracy in action. Faced with a deadly new disease people just want to be safe, and they want their loved ones to be safe too. Even if they might lose their job.

Has there ever been such a radical plan that was this radically popular?

Coronavirus: UK lockdown supported by 93 per cent of public, poll finds

Jon Stone,  Independent, UK, March 24

YouGov says 93 per cent of people support the plan unveiled the by the prime minister, with just four per cent opposed and the rest saying they do not know.

The poll said 75 per cent strongly supported the measures, with 17 per cent saying they “somewhat” supported them.

It’s still popular:

THE BRITISH public are steadfastly ready to continue with lockdown restrictions for as long as it takes to defeat coronavirus, a new poll has revealed.

David Maddox, The Express, UK April 12

It found that voters in Britain are strongly behind the government’s science led strategy to tackle coronavirus and back the police in taking a tough stance against those who are not respecting social distancing with 60 percent believing “the terms or rules of the current lockdown are about right”.

Only 6 percent say they are “excessive” while 31 percent say they are “not enough” and should go further than the current lockdown.

Actually working from home might be better than working at work:

…in a suggestion that lockdown measures have changed how people want to live their lives in the long term 53 percent of those who are now being forced to work from home would like to work from home more after the crisis ends and 31 percent of those unable to work from home say they are now “more likely” to seek a job that could allow them to work from home.

 In the US a few weeks ago:

Poll: Americans want a national lockdown

Trump’s call to end coronavirus restrictions by Easter is wildly out of step with what the public wants.

By Ian Millhiser  
New polling also suggests that Trump’s desire to end this period of quarantines and sheltering in place is out of step with the public’s wishes. In a poll by Morning Consult taken March 20 to 22, a plurality of Americans said they strongly support a “national quarantine,” and nearly three-quarters of Americans express at least some support for the idea.
And in at least one part of Australia:

Coronavirus crisis: Exclusive poll reveals West Australians want nation placed in ‘full lockdown’ to slow spread of COVID-19

The West Australian (paywalled).

West Australians want the nation placed into “full lockdown” to slow the coronavirus spread, despite two-thirds being worried about losing their jobs in the next six months.

The latest People’s Voice Poll from Painted Dog Research found 71 per cent of the more than 500 West Australians surveyed believed the Morrison Government should enforce a lockdown.

Unexpectedly, it was younger West Australians aged between 18 and 39 who were the most supportive of a lockdown (80 per cent), compared with 68 per cent aged 40-59 years.

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