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Based on a telephone survey conducted among a representative sample of one thousand respondents, this article analyzes the perceptions and attitudes of Argentinians toward the COVID-19 outbreak. The analysis shows that Argentinians overwhelmingly approved of the public health and economic policies pursued by their government and, as a result, changed their behavior. Among the many factors that influenced Argentinians’ perceptions and attitudes, trust in institutions (president, governor, mayor) emerged as a major determinant. In terms of emotions, fear and a strong perception of the seriousness of the disease were also found to be powerful drivers of compliance with health regulations. The results also highlight the significance of economic and social measures that reduced the costs associated with precautionary behavior. These findings are robust to the inclusion of a wide range of sociodemographic control variables.Codes JEL : I18, O1, 054.