corona virus
Majority think press has overhyped the threat.

62 per cent of Americans believe that the media has exaggerated the threat of coronavirus, according to a new Pew Research poll.

The results of the survey found that 63 per cent of Americans believe the CDC and public health officials have got the risk of COID-19 about right, with just 21 per cent believing they have exaggerated the risks.

While 62 per cent think the media has overhyped the threat, 29 per cent believe President Trump hasn't taken it seriously at all while a further 52 per cent say he has not taken the risk seriously enough.

pew poll Corona virus

Only 30 per cent say the media has handled the issue appropriately, while just 8 per cent say the press has not taken the risks seriously enough.

On a partisan breakdown, 76 per cent of Republicans think the media has exaggerated the threat compared to 49 per cent of Democrats.

There is still a significant number of people who believe that the response to coronavirus has been over the top or even hysterical, with many suggesting that once a large number of people in the U.S. are tested, the mortality rate of COVID-19 will drop substantially.

Others point to infection and death toll numbers out of Italy to make the point that overreacting is essential to stopping the spread of the virus and preventing deaths in the hundreds of thousands.