A new poll found that 44% of Americans believe the coronavirus was developed in a laboratory, and more than half of those people think the virus was intentionally released from the lab.
TIPP poll results announced Tuesday added that of the people who believe coronavirus was human-made, 54% believe it was intentionally released from the lab, 32% think it was accidentally released, and 14% were not sure how it left the lab.
When asked about the virus’ origin, 22% think it came from animals, 11% think it’s a naturally occurring virus, and 8% think the virus resulted from human living habits. A total of 16% were unsure about its origins.
Not surprisingly, the TIPP poll found a difference in results based on the party to which respondents said they belonged.
Among Republicans:
- 63% believe it was developed in a lab.
- 12% think it came from animals.
- 8% think it’s a naturally occurring virus.
- 6% think the virus came to be as a result of human living habits.
- 12% were unsure about its origins.
Among Democrats:
- 32% believe it was developed in a lab.
- 30% think it came from animals.
- 13% think it’s a naturally occurring virus.
- 11% think the virus came to be as a result of human living habits.
- 14% were unsure about its origins.
Former President Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were criticized widely by opponents and the mainstream media for claiming early on COVID-19 was the result of a virus that escaped a lab in Wuhan, China.
