Majority of registered voters say pandemic-related shutdowns 'did more harm than good,' poll 

A majority of registered U.S. voters say shutting down businesses and other parts of the country for roughly the past year to slow the spread of COVID-19 "did more harm than good," despite good intentions, according to a new Scott Rasmussen national survey. 

Fifty-five percent of the respondents agreed with the statement, while 38% disagreed and 7% said they were not sure. 

Seventy-six percent of Republicans and 51% of Independents agreed the lockdowns did more harm than good. However, 57% of Democrats disagreed.

"As on most pandemic related topics, there is a partisan divide," Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen surveyed 1,200 registered voters from July 21-24, using a mixed-mode approach.

During the pandemic, government officials exercised extraordinary power over the lives of individual Americans, the pollster said. 

The survey also found 62% of respondents are worried that many government officials will try to continue exercising such power over individual Americans.