Coronavirus sends huge number of Americans to knees in prayer

President Donald J. Trump sees off the USNS Comfort Saturday, March 28, 2020, as she departs Naval Air Station Norfolk Pier 8 in Norfolk, Virginia, and sets sail for New York City. (Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead)

Nine of 10 Americans who pray daily have prayed for an end to the coronavirus, and even 15% of those who never pray have done the same, according to a new survey.

Pew Social Trends, concluding the virus has impacted spiritual habits, found 55% of all U.S. adults say they have prayed for an end to the spread of coronavirus.

"Large majorities of Americans who pray daily (86%) and of U.S. Christians (73%) have taken to prayer during the outbreak – but so have some who say the seldom or never pray and people who say they do not belong to any religion (15% and 24%, respectively)."

The polling firm explained: "As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise and schools, workplaces and public gathering spaces across the United States remain closed, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that the coronavirus outbreak is having profound impacts on the personal lives of Americans in a variety of ways. Nearly nine-in-ten U.S. adults say their life has changed at least a little as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, including 44% who say their life has changed in a major way."

It found that Americans are socially distancing themselves to the point that 91% would feel uncomfortable attending a crowded party, 77% would object to eating out in a restaurant, 66% would not like going to a polling place to vote, 42% dislike going to grocery stories and 38% even don't like visiting with a close friend or a family member at their home.

Many are working from home.

"Among U.S. adults who said in an earlier survey they attend religious services at least once or twice a month, most (59%) now say they have scaled back their attendance because of the coronavirus – in many cases, presumably because churches and other houses of worship have canceled services.

"But that does not mean they have disengaged from collective worship entirely. A similar share (57%) reports having watched religious services online or on TV instead of attending in person. Together, four-in-ten regular worshippers appear to have replaced in-person attendance with virtual worship."

Pew said it surveyed 11,537 U.S. adults March 19-24.

More findings:

"Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say they feel comfortable proceeding with a variety of activities despite the coronavirus outbreak. For example, 69% of Republicans and people who lean toward the GOP say they would e comfortable visiting with a close friend or family member at their home, compared with 55% of Democrats and Democratic leaners."
"Compared with older Americas, young adults are more likely to say they are comfortable going to a crowded party, a restaurant or a small gathering with close family or friends."
"Concerns about public activities and changes to personal lives have been felt more acutely in states with higher numbers of COVID-19 cases. For instance, 51% of those living in highly impacted states say their lives have changed in a major way, compared with 40% of those in states with the lowest numbers."

Twenty percent of the respondents say they have used a food delivery service because of the outbreak.

"Among those who typically attend church at least monthly, the share of Christians who indicate they have replaced in-person attendance with watching church services online on TV tops out at 47% among evangelical Protestants. White people are more likely than black and Hispanic respondents to say they are now watching religious services online while attending less in person, while black and Hispanic people are more likely than white respondents to say they are supplementing their in-person attendance with virtual religious participation or that their attendance habits have not changed."