Fewer than one in 10 Americans think the COVID-19 pandemic is still a “serious crisis,” according to a new poll.
While 16% of Democrats think COVID-19 is still serious, just 3% of Republicans do, the Axios poll found.
Americans do think the virus continues to be a problem, but think it’s manageable. More than seven in 10 (73%) say so, with 17% saying COVID-19 is “not a problem at all.”
“Here’s another way to look at the overall numbers,” Axios wrote. “About twice as large a share of Americans said COVID-19 is ‘not a problem at all’ (17%) than said it is ‘a serious crisis’ (9%).”
“The latest wave of our national survey actually found a slight uptick in people’s perceptions of the risks of certain activities, including flying, attending sports events and returning to work. Yet it shows the highest share of Americans visiting friends and family members outside the home — and the lowest rate of social distancing — since the early part of last summer,” the website added.
“Americans are ready for coronavirus regulations to ease up – if they haven’t already,” the pollsters wrote. More from Axios:
- Just over a third of American workers (39%) report that their employers are requiring masks in the workplace, down from half (52%) two weeks ago and just over a quarter (27%) of Americans report their local government is requiring masks to be worn in public places.
- When asked their general preference on COVID policies, a large majority of Americans (75%) tilt towards opening up with the plurality (45%) saying we should keep some precautions but move towards opening.
- A majority of Americans (64%) also support “federal, state, and local government lifting all COVID-19 restrictions.”
The findings came shortly after the top U.S. immunologist made an unequivocal declaration: COVID-19 is here to stay.
“This is not going to be eradicated and it’s not going to be eliminated. And what’s going to happen is that we’re going to see that each individual is going to have to make their calculation of the amount of risk that they want to take in going to indoor dinners and in going to functions,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
“We’re at that point where in many respects … we’re going to have to live with some degree of virus in the community,” he added.
“So you’re going to make a question and an answer for yourself, for me as an individual, for you as an individual. What is my age? What is my status? Do I have people at home who are vulnerable that if I bring the virus home there may be a problem?”
The doctor also said the best way to mitigate the virus is to get vaccinated.
“If you’re not, to get boosted if you’re eligible to be boosted. If you’re in the certain group like the CDC’s recent determination about people 50 and older, and individuals with underlying conditions, get that fourth boost, which, by the way, we really need to concentrate a lot more on that, about getting new tests, getting drugs, getting vaccines which I hope the Congress comes through and gives us the resources so that as we get into what might be another surge that we’re prepared with the — all of the tools that we need to address it,” Fauci said.
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent, and ran the Drudge Report from 2010 to 2015. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.