Abstract The existing pandemic of COVID-19 has developed an unimaginable, socially hostile climate for citizens. Against the context of this exogenous shock, we analysed the relationship between risk-taking, trait resilience and state anxiety, under which the relationship between trait resilience and risk-taking moderates with state anxiety during the pandemic, and using the principle of combined prospects. In a survey of 515 people in the U.S. we test risk taking by means of a comportment assessed and evaluate trait anxiety, five main characteristics and other demographics. Study of a regression showed that age moderates the correlation between risk and anxiety and that highly resilient, risk-tolerant people have lower anxiety than less resilient people. In the other hand, older people with a higher longevity, are less prone to threats than their younger and least resilient opposites. Studies are minimal and further research is proposed.