LAST UPDATE: MAY 18, 2022
The Return to Normal: Views on the Pandemic
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.
Morning Consult is closely tracking the public’s attitudes on vaccines, social distancing, comfort, political and institutional leadership in handling the coronavirus, the economic cost and more.
KEY TRENDS
Majority of Voters Prioritize Economic Impact of COVID-19: 51% of registered voters say they’re more concerned about the economic impact of the coronavirus compared with 41% who say the same for the public health impact. It’s the first time in Morning Consult/Politico tracking that over half of voters have said as much, with a record share of Republicans (70%) fueling the all-time high.
Support for Vaccine Mandates Climbing Slightly: The share of adults who back COVID-19 vaccination mandates has risen in recent weeks, with support ranging from 53% from businesses and employers to 58% from state governments. The uptick comes after support for requirements hit a low in Morning Consult polling in mid-April.
Biden Back Above Water in COVID-19 Management: President Joe Biden’s net approval for his handling of the coronavirus inched back above water (plus 1) as Republicans gave him their highest marks since August 2021 at minus 62 (17% approving, 79% disapproving). Independents’ feelings about Biden’s COVID-19 management improved 13 points in week, rising to minus 5 (41% approving, 46% disapproving).
1 in 7 View COVID-19 as ‘Severe’ Risk in Their Community: The public is slightly more likely to view COVID-19 as a severe local health risk than it was a few weeks ago, with that share rising to 14% from 10% in mid-April. The increase was driven by an uptick among Democrats, while concern has remained level among Republicans.
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.