Eight months into the pandemic a sizable portion of the presidential base still do not believe there is much reason to be concerned about Covid-19. (NY Times)

Incredibly, the general public still has a healthy distrust of science. Simply believing people who are more educated on a topic is just too difficult for some and they follow the urge to universalize their own observations. Many of these people live in areas not severely affected by the the pandemic, therefore in their mind no place can be impacted to the extend the media claims because they don't personally see it out their front doors.