Americans remain sharply divided along party lines about the severity of COVID-19 and what should be done about it, a new survey finds. "We don't have a partisan divide — it's a chasm," said Dr. Frank Luntz, who conducted the poll in conjunction with the de Beaumont Foundation, which focuses on improving state and local public health. "The words our leaders are using need an immediate upgrade. What they're saying isn't working. Democrats and Republicans simply think differently and act differently. We need to accept this as fact. Related: Alex Azar, HHS in the hot seat over COVID testing controversy "Based on our findings, our leaders need to remove politics and partisanship from their messaging and give Americans a better reason to comply other than because it's good for them. They must remind people that it's also good for the people they love and will speed up the return to a strong economy and a normal life." Given how politically charged the pandemic has become, researchers also examined the language we use to discuss the virus. Check out the slideshow above for their recommendations of some language tweaks that could lead to more effective communication. Several key findings support Luntz's comments:

• Sixty-two percent of Democrats said the current situation with COVID is "extremely serious," compared with only 33% of Republicans. In total, 74% of respondents said the situation is "very serious" or "extremely serious," while for African Americans that number was 86%.
• When asked "What should our strategy and approach be with COVID-19 right now?" the most favored approach by Republicans was to "open everything now/learn to live with the virus," while Democrats favored "close down a little more since the virus has gotten worse."
• Overall, 23% of respondents know someone close to them who has died from COVID-19 — 30% of Democrats and only 18% of Republicans.
• Americans most trust scientists and public health officials to deliver factual information — more than President Trump, President-elect Biden, governors, mayors and members of Congress. Trust in the CDC and Dr. Anthony Fauci remains high.
• When asked to identify the most "sensible, responsible and impactful" public health measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19, respondents of all parties (59%) chose "wearing a face mask in public," more than any other approach.

Researchers drew these conclusions from the survey:

• Public health leaders must make the case that the science about steps that can prevent the spread of COVID-19 is settled.
• Politicians are not credible messengers about the pandemic. It will be most effective to use scientists and medical and public health leaders as spokespeople.
• Public health and the economy cannot be separated.
• Vaccine hesitancy is real.
• Political and health leaders need to focus on the benefits of success, not just the consequences of failure.

"Effective communication is always important in public health, but it's never been more important for health leaders to understand the perceptions of Americans and modify their language accordingly," said Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation. Read more: 

• Politics and health care policy: Just the facts
• How to keep politics from disrupting the workplace
• The employer's role in creating a COVID-19 testing and vaccination infrastructure