LAST UPDATE: JAN. 12, 2021
Tracking the Return to Normal: Socializing
This tracker is part of a series from Morning Consult gauging when consumers will return to normal activities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more and sign up for alerts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made socializing with others taboo. One important aspect in discerning consumers’ overall comfort levels is understanding their willingness to re-enter these social settings. Morning Consult will continue tracking the public’s comfort with various social situations throughout 2021.
Morning Consult is tracking pent-up demand and excitement for many of the activities listed on this page. Bookmark this page for weekly updates of these figures, and read our deep dive on which industries will see a post-pandemic boom in consumer demand.
KEY TRENDS
- The Public’s Comfort With Socializing Decreases: U.S. adults’ comfort with socializing with others decreased 3 percentage points from last week to 51%, which is down 9 points since early November and the lowest the share has been since a Sept. 11 survey. The public’s comfort with attending a wedding also dropped 3 points to 45%, matching the lowest share since an Aug. 22 poll.
- Female Comfort With Dating Drops 10 Points in Less Than a Month: Amid rising COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant, 51% of overall respondents said they feel comfortable going on a date, down 8 points since a Dec. 19 survey. In that same time, female comfort with dating has dropped 10 points to 45%, while male comfort has dropped 5 points to 58%.
- 55% of Americans Say They ‘Always’ Mask Up: That’s up 5 points from early December. Meanwhile, 8% of respondents said they never wear a mask, down 2 points in that same time.
Tracking the Return to Normal
When will things return to normal and what will our new normal look like? It’s a question that business, economic and government leaders are grappling with as more and more Americans receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
To help answer this complicated question, Morning Consult is tracking how consumer attitudes are shifting across a wide range of categories, from travel to entertainment to dining, to gain greater insight into not only when consumers will be ready to return to their normal activities, but how their habits will be forever changed. We’ll be updating these pages every week with new data and analyses. Sign up for alerts below.