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Americans are less concerned about COVID-19 than at any point in the pandemic, according to a poll released Tuesday that says most don’t fear new variants despite a spike in reported cases.
The CBS News/YouGov poll found 48% of people are concerned about the latest version of the virus compared with nearly six in 10 who feared the omicron wave in 2021.
Only 45% of people worry about getting the virus or seeing a family member contract it. It’s the first time that number dipped below the halfway line in CBS polling compared with 77% who feared the virus in April 2020 and 55% in March 2022.
The poll was conducted among over 2,300 adults shortly before the Food and Drug Administration approved booster shots from Pfizer and Moderna that target the latest variants.
The Biden administration is set to promote the boosters this fall. There are widespread reports of an uptick in cases, reigniting the debate around masks in some places, though government-directed mandates haven’t returned and hospitalizations remain low.
Only 17% of the U.S. population received the updated, bivalent booster that debuted last fall, though more than four in 10 seniors — the most at-risk group — opted for it.
The CBS poll says 43% of Americans plan to get a COVID-19 booster this time, with a clear partisan split.
Nearly three-quarters of Democrats plan to get the shot compared with 37% of independents and 21% of Republicans.
GOP lawmakers generally have described the COVID-19 response as overbearing, and some have raised questions about the extent of testing around the COVID-19 vaccines.
Among those polled, 52%, say they are optimistic about efforts to combat the coronavirus compared with 48% who are pessimistic.
Americans are more concerned about other matters, the poll finds, with 35% optimistic about the nation’s efforts to bolster the economy and 65% pessimistic.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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