Most Americans not worrying about COVID going into 2022 Holidays

Washington, DC, December 6, 2022-

Heading into the 2022 holidays, Americans may be worrying about prices or the inevitable family fight about politics, but few of them are worried about COVID-19. The Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus index shows that with just over a third seeing contracting COVID-19 as a large or moderate risk, most Americans appear to be including the virus in their daily calculus and moving on. Indeed, Half of Americans say they have already returned to pre-COVID routines while only a third report wearing a mask some or all of the time when leaving the home.

• Half of Americans report having returned to pre-COVID routines while a third say it will be a year or more before they are back to normal.
• Two in three Americans went out to eat and/or saw family or friends in the last week while only a quarter reporting changing their behavior to reduce potential exposure to viruses.
• Over half of Americans report having contracted COVID-19 sometime in the past two years. One in five report having the flu or other virus in the past year.
• Americans report their health – including financial health – as mostly unchanged and “good”.
• Americans are supportive of continued government efforts to fight against the coronavirus, however a significant minority says it is time to move on with 44% of respondents saying America has already spent enough fighting COVID and that it's time to stop and move on. 

Washington, DC, September 13, 2022

This wave marks the final regularly scheduled installment of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, which began in mid-March 2020, as COVID-19 first swept the country. The latest results find a country that has largely — though not completely — moved on from the pandemic. The perceived risk the virus poses in Americans’ minds has steadily declined since the Omicron surge in the winter of 2022, and Americans have continued to engage in out-of-home behaviors despite cases rising in the beginning of the summer.

The poll also finds that the vast majority of Americans believe COVID-19 changed Americans’ lives forever, but that we are now in a better place than we were a year ago. Many also report feeling optimistic about their health, home life, and finances.

Finally, while Americans support ending government mandated COVID restrictions, they support the (now defunct) federally funded at-home testing program and free access to vaccines and treatment.

Detailed findings:

1. While most Americans say they believe there is still a possibility of them catching COVID, their perceived risk of contracting the virus continues to decline. Many indicate they have already returned to their normal, pre-COVID life.

• More Americans now believe that out-of-home behaviors, such as attending in-person gatherings, dining at a restaurant, taking a vacation, and attending a sporting event pose, no risk to their health than in mid-August of this year.
• The share of Americans who report being concerned about COVID-19 (57%) is among the lowest captured throughout the pandemic. Of those who are concerned, a plurality is more concerned about spreading the virus to people who are at higher risk of serious illness (28%) than for themselves, whether it’s developing long COVID (18%), being hospitalized (12%), or dying (11%).
• Nearly two in three (65%) say there is a small risk or no risk in returning to their normal, pre-COVID life.
• More Americans now say they already have returned to their normal, pre-COVID life (46%) than at any point during the pandemic.
• Still, just 11% say there is no risk of them contracting COVID.

2. Americans appear to be in a holding pattern on mask use, with many choosing not to wear them regularly when leaving home. That said, Americans report wearing masks in different rates depending on what they are doing out of their home. For those that do report wearing masks regularly, some feel self-conscious.

• The share of Americans that report occasionally or never wearing a mask outside their home has remained consistent since June (around 63%) but is significantly higher than during height of Omicron in mid-January 2022 (27%).
• Roughly half report wearing masks at all times or sometimes when on an airplane (48%).
• Fewer report wearing masks at all times or sometimes when on public transportation or in a rideshare (39%).
• Finally, the lowest share of Americans report wearing masks at all times or sometimes in grocery stores (33%) and when walking into a restaurant to dine indoors (27%).
• Of people who say they wear a mask at all times, sometimes, or occasionally, nearly one in five (19%) report worrying how other people view them because of their mask.

3. A wide majority of Americans believe that the virus is here to stay, and that it has changed Americans’ lives. At the same time, many report feeling good about their health, home life, and finances.

• A large majority of Americans agree that we will never fully be rid of the virus in their lifetime (85%) and that COVID-19 changed Americans’ lives forever (88%).
• At the same time, 82% say we are in a better place than we were a year ago when it comes to COVID.
• Many describe different aspects of their life as good, such as their home and home life (90%), mental health (85%), emotional wellbeing (84%), physical health (83%), and personal finances (78%).

4. More Americans feel that the pandemic-related shutdowns in early 2020 were necessary to save lives than believe they caused unnecessary damage to the economy. However, these perceptions are closely tied to party affiliation. Looking ahead, a wide majority support ending government mandated COVID restrictions while also supporting free at-home testing and free access to vaccines and treatment.

• Nearly three in four Americans (73%) say pandemic-related shutdowns in early 2020 were necessary to save lives.
• This breaks down across party lines, with 93% of Democrats agreeing versus 52% of Republicans. Independents are in the middle (71%).
• Roughly half (51%) say pandemic-related shutdowns in early 2020 caused unnecessary damage to the economy.
• This, too, breaks down across party lines, with far more Republicans agreeing than Democrats (80% vs. 30%). Here, independents (49%) are closer to Republicans.
• Nearly two in three (65%) support federal, state, and local governments lifting all COVID-19 restrictions.
• Despite the program ending earlier this month, 83% support the federal government mailing free at-home COVID-19 tests to anyone who wants one.
• Similarly, 87% support the federal government providing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments for free, regardless of health insurance status.

Washington, DC, August 16, 2022

More than two years after initial stay-at-home orders began, the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that half of American adults have had, or believe they have had, COVID-19 at some point since the pandemic began. Moreover, among those who have had the virus and are vaccinated, two-thirds report having had breakthrough infections, meaning they had COVID-19 after they were fully vaccinated. At the same time, however, Americans continue to feel more removed from the pandemic than in previous months. Perceptions of the virus’ risk have declined, and people are not changing their behaviors. Among those who have taken a vacation in the past three months, few report taking extra precautions to prevent contracting COVID-19 before their trip.

Detailed findings:

1. Americans continue to be infected with COVID-19. However, experiences with infection (and reinfection) are now less likely to inform one’s behavior. A recent example of this: those who have taken a vacation in the last three months are unlikely to report taking extra precautions, like masking or testing at home, before their trip.

• Fifty percent of respondents have had, or believe they’ve had, COVID-19 at some point since the pandemic began. Among these people, 5% have been infected this month, and 10% say their most recent brush with the virus was last month. This equates to roughly 7% of the total adult population in the U.S., or roughly 18.5 million Americans who have had the virus since July 2022.
• Nearly four in ten Americans say someone they know has been reinfected with COVID-19 in the past few weeks (38%).
• Half report taking a vacation or trip in the past three months. Among this group, few have taken extra steps to avoid a COVID-19 infection prior to their trip.
• Just around a quarter of these travelers say they have limited dining indoors or attending indoor events (27%), taken an at-home COVID test (26%), worn a mask indoors more frequently (24%), or limited seeing people outside of their household (22%). The most practiced behavior? Washing or sanitizing hands more frequently – but fewer than half report doing this (45%).
• Roughly two in three continue to report they are going out to eat and visiting people outside of their household, while the number who say they are socially distancing remains at an all-time low (29%; similar to levels reported from May to July, but down from 47% one year ago). Just one in five say they have canceled or skipped attending large gatherings – again, on par with last month but significantly lower than in mid-February, on the tail end of the spike in cases due to the Omicron variant (49%).

2. There are signs that more Americans may be tuning out specific details related to the pandemic, as familiarity with things like new variants and rebound infections is relatively low.

• Thirty-eight percent say they are very or somewhat familiar with the new variant, also known as Omicron BA.5, similar to levels reported last month (33% familiar).
• One in three are at least somewhat familiar with recent news reports about “COVID-19 rebound” infections, but only 4% report knowing someone who has experienced this after taking Paxlovid.
• Just one in four are familiar with Paxlovid, the antiviral pill used to treat COVID-19. Familiarity of Paxlovid has not increased at all since we first started asking this question in November 2021.
• While half of Americans correctly identify that “studies suggest that prior COVID-19 infections or antibodies from vaccines may not protect against the latest coronavirus variant, Omicron BA.5,” 40% of Americans are unsure whether this statement is true or false.

3. Regarding another fast-spreading viral infection – monkeypox – most Americans report low levels of concern and few report they are likely to get the vaccine.

• Americans are nearly split 50-50 on whether they are at least somewhat familiar with monkeypox (53%) or not (47%). Regardless of one’s familiarity, just one in five are extremely or very concerned about the monkeypox virus. Roughly half (48%) are not very, or not at all, concerned.
• In a sign that many Americans do not feel personally at risk of contracting monkeypox, just 11% say they are either very likely to get the monkeypox vaccine or have already received at least one dose (only 1% fall into the latter category).  

Washington, DC, July 19, 2022

According to the latest wave of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index, about a third of Americans report knowing someone who has been reinfected with COVID-19 in the last few weeks. Among Americans who have had or suspect they have had COVID-19 at any point since the pandemic began, more than a quarter say they have had it two or more times. Despite the rise in new cases following the emergence of the Omicron BA.5 variant, familiarity of the variant remains fairly low – and reported mask use is at its lowest point of the pandemic.

The poll also finds that nearly four in five agree that we will never be rid of COVID-19 in our lifetime. Around one in three believe the pandemic is over (similar to last month), however more now indicate they think it will take more than a year—or never— until they return to their pre-pandemic life.

Detailed findings:

1. Nearly half of American adults say they have had, or suspect they have had, COVID-19 at some point since the pandemic began in early 2020. Roughly a quarter of those respondents say they have been reinfected.

• Almost half (46%) say they had or suspect they had COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
• Of those who know or think they contracted the virus, 71% say they had it once, 25% say they had it twice, and just 3% say they had it three times.
• Among those who say they had COVID-19 and who are vaccinated against the virus, six in ten (61%) say the most recent time they had COVID-19 was after they were fully vaccinated against the virus.

2. While a third of Americans say they know someone who has recently been reinfected with COVID-19, concern over the virus remains stable since April. Fewer are wearing masks, and familiarity with the latest treatments and variants is fairly low.

• A third (33%) of Americans say they know someone who got reinfected with COVID-19 in the last few weeks.
• The same number, one in three, are familiar with the new coronavirus variant, Omicron BA.5, that has been attributed to the latest rise in cases.
• Despite recent reinfections, total concern for COVID-19 (61%) remains relatively unchanged since April 2021.
• Fewer than two in five (36%) Americans now sometimes or always wear a mask outside their homes, the lowest number since the start of the pandemic. Additionally, 36% never wear a mask outside of the house, up 14 percentage points from this time last year.
• Just over a quarter (26%) of Americans are familiar with Paxlovid, the COVID-19 antiviral pill treatment. This number remains unchanged from November 2021.

3. The bifurcation of Americans in terms of their “return to normal” continues. However, a supermajority of Americans think we will never fully be rid of COVID-19 in their lifetime.

• Almost four in five Americans (78%) agree that, “We will never fully be rid of the coronavirus in my lifetime.” Majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents all agree with this sentiment.
• At the same time, 29% say the pandemic is over, a figure that has remained consistent since May. Here, political affiliation starts to play a role in driving differences – 48% of Republicans share this sentiment, compared to just 9% of Democrats.
• Another roughly one in three (36%) Americans feel like most people around them have moved on from the pandemic, but they haven’t.
• Americans’ primary concerns around getting the virus aren’t related to infecting themselves. Instead, they are most concerned about spreading the virus to people who are at a higher risk of serious illness (27%). This is at least ten percentage points higher than each of the other personal concerns asked about: developing long COVID (17%), being hospitalized (15%), dealing with restrictions on daily life (15%), and being infected with COVID more than once (8%).
• Three-quarters of vaccinated Americans say they are likely to get a COVID-19 booster shot if recommended annually (74%) or if it provides better protection against new variants, like Omicron (76%).
  • Vaccinated Americans ages 50+ are more likely than younger Americans to say they will seek out an annual booster. Similarly, vaccinated Democrats are more likely (93%) than Republicans (60%) and independents (68%) to seek out an annual booster.

Washington, DC, June 14, 2022

According to the latest wave of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index, American adults are largely divided into three camps: those that consider the pandemic over, those that feel left behind by their peers, and those that that are muddling through.

The poll also finds that Americans on both sides of the aisle support requiring international travelers flying into the U.S. to test negative for COVID-19. This comes as the Biden administration suspended the policy over the weekend (while this poll was in field).

Detailed findings:

1. Americans are largely divided into three camps: those that consider COVID-19 over, those that feel left behind by their peers, and those that still think there is a pandemic but are less bothered by it.

• Compared to early January (15%), during the height of the Omicron variant, an increasing share of Americans now (42%) report having already returned to their normal, pre-COVID life.
• At the other end of the spectrum, 33% say they expect it will be more than a year or never before they return to their normal life.
• Nearly one in three (31%) believe that the pandemic is over.
• Just over one in three (35%) feel like those around them have moved on from the pandemic, but they haven’t.

2. Americans largely support mandating international travelers test negative for COVID-19 prior to entering the U.S. However, support is lower for domestic mitigation efforts.

• Americans broadly support (70%) requiring a negative Covid test for international travelers coming into the U.S. There is majority support among Republicans (55%), independents (70%), and Democrats (84%).
• Mandates requiring masks be worn in public and at work are supported by 44% of Americans.
• One in three (34%) Americans support businesses requiring customers to show proof of vaccination before being allowed into stores or restaurants.

3. Out of home behaviors and COVID-19 risk perceptions remain unchanged since last month.

• There is little difference this month compared to last month in the share that indicate they have gone out to eat (62% vs. 65%), visited friends or relatives (68% vs. 69%), and gone shopping (64% vs. 61%). In fact, out of home behaviors have not shifted since April.
• Four in ten (40%) report wearing a mask at all times or sometimes when leaving the house, on par with last month (43%).
• The perceived risk of returning to pre-COVID life, now at 36%, is consistent with the previous three months.
• Nearly six in ten (59%) say they are at least somewhat concerned about COVID-19, which has remained consistent since April 2022.

4. Little consensus exists over whether key pandemic metrics like cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are increasing or decreasing.

• Just over one-third (35%) of Americans believe COVID-19 cases in their state are increasing, compared to 26% who believe they are decreasing, 21% who believe they are staying the same, and 18% who don’t know.
• About one-fifth (17%) believe hospitalizations in their state are increasing, while 37% believe they are decreasing, 23% believe they are staying the same, and 23% don’t know.
• Finally, 9% believe deaths due to COVID are increasing in their state, versus 44% who believe they are decreasing, 21% who believe they are staying the same, and 26% who don’t know.

Washington, DC, May 18, 2022

Although cases are rising again across the U.S., neither behaviors nor risk perceptions have shifted for Americans since April. The latest wave of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that one in three Americans say that COVID-19 is over, though perceptions vary drastically across party lines and by vaccination status. The poll also finds that for a plurality, their top concern at the moment is spreading the virus to people who are at higher risk of serious illness, rather than something happening to them personally.

Detailed findings:

1. A sizeable portion of Americans say that the COVID-19 pandemic is over, but this is largely driven by partisanship.

• Nearly one in three (31%) say that the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
• Large partisan differences exist, with 59% of Republicans, 27% of independents, and just 10% of Democrats saying the pandemic is over.
• Those that are unvaccinated are more likely to say the pandemic is over (55%) than those that are vaccinated (22%).
• The bulk (71%) of Americans describe the pandemic as a problem, but manageable, versus 14% that say it is a serious crisis.

2. Despite nearly every state experiencing increases in COVID-19 cases during the time this survey was fielded, relatively few Americans acknowledge this. Many say their top concern at the moment is spreading the virus to people who are at higher risk of serious illness.

• Just over one in three (36%) believe COVID-19 cases are rising in their state, though this is a significant increase from the share that said so last month (14%). By comparison, 26% believe cases are decreasing in their state.
• A plurality (32%) says their top concern related to COVID-19 right now is spreading the virus to people who are at higher risk of serious illness. This is consistent regardless of party affiliation.
• Those that are under 65 are more likely to cite spreading the virus as their top concern, while those 65+ are more likely to say being hospitalized is their top concern.
• Just roughly one in 10 (12%) say dying from the virus is their top concern, which is true across age groups.
• Among the unvaccinated, a plurality (31%) indicates dealing with restrictions in their daily life is their top concern related to COVID-19 right now.

3. Along with the level of disconnect that exists between perceptions of rising cases and our current reality, Americans’ behaviors and perception of relative risk have remained unchanged.

• The share of Americans that report doing activities outside the home, like dining out (65%), visiting loved ones (69%), or going shopping (61%) have not changed since April.
• Risk perceptions of activities outside the home are also consistent with those seen in April. This includes the perceived risk of traveling on an airplane or mass transit in general, which 23% say is a large risk, despite the FAA lifting its mask requirement on flights in mid-April.
• The share of Americans that indicate they have returned to their normal, pre-COVID life has been steadily increasing since the height of the Omicron variant in January and is at a high-water mark (40%), something we saw last month as well.

4. Support for abandoning all government COVID-19 restrictions has declined since April. Opinions over government funding of the response to the pandemic differ across party lines, but, despite this, there is broad support for ongoing COVID monitoring and reporting at the national and local levels.

• Fewer Americans support federal, state, and local government lifting all COVID-19 restrictions than did in April (51% vs. 59%).
• Americans are divided over whether the government has over- or under-funded the response to COVID, largely along party lines. A majority of Republicans (63%) believe the federal government has spent too much to combat COVID-19, while a plurality of Democrats (44%) and independents (39%) believe it has spent about the right amount.
• Roughly six in 10 support local news broadcasts reporting daily on COVID-19 rates in their area (62%) and the federal government funding a single, national COVID-19 monitoring system (57%).

Washington, DC, April 12, 2022

The number of Americans engaging in activities outside of their household is on the rise, and the highest it’s been since last summer (pre-Delta variant), according to the latest wave of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. As people re-engage in the world around them, policy preferences are also shifting toward loosening some requirements around masking and vaccines. Furthermore, just one in ten would currently characterize the coronavirus as “a serious crisis,” while the vast majority believe it’s a problem, but a manageable one.

Detailed findings:

1. Behaviorally, people are (again) putting the pandemic behind them, and few see the current state of affairs as a crisis.

• Around two-thirds report going out to eat (65%) or visiting friends or relatives (66%) in the past week.
• This marks a subtle trend upward compared to last month, when reopening slowly began around the two-year anniversary of the pandemic’s start. However, for both measures, this is a double-digit increase from the beginning of the year, and matches the previous high point from last June (pre-Delta).
• The number of people who report experiencing mask requirements in public has declined. Now, 15% have personally experienced their state or local government requiring masks to be worn in all public places (down 12 percentage points from a month ago). Similarly, 22% of employed Americans say their employer is requiring masks at the workplace – down 17 percentage points from March.
• Just 9% would describe the state of the coronavirus in the U.S. as “a serious crisis” right now. Nearly twice as many (17%) say it’s not a problem at all. However, the vast majority, 73%, believe it’s a problem, but a manageable one.

2. As personal behaviors shift, support for some mask and vaccine requirements in public places has also declined.

• Currently, 36% support businesses requiring customers to show proof of vaccination before being allowed into stores or restaurants. This is down from 51% in early February, when we first asked.
• Fewer also now support their local school district requiring everyone in schools to wear masks (51%, down from 65-70% last fall when the school year started).
• The number of Americans who support their state or local government requiring masks in all public places has also dipped below 50% for the first time – now, 44% support such a requirement, down from 50% last month and 67% at the beginning of the year (during the height of the Omicron variant).
• One exception to this rule is the public’s view of requirements for healthcare workers. Two-thirds (65%) support requiring all people in a healthcare setting to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This number has not changed over the past few months, possibly indicating the public holds healthcare workers to a different standard than they do the broader population.

3. Perhaps informing these personal and policy-related shifts is the fact that most Americans feel key measures – COVID cases, hospitalization rates, and deaths – are decreasing in their state, at this moment.

• More than half of Americans (ranging from 54%-64%) believe these measures are decreasing in their state at this moment.
• Just 3% say COVID-related deaths are increasing in their state right now, and 6% say the same about hospitalization rates.
• At the time of publishing this poll, public health data indicates these measures are either experiencing a slight uptick or staying the same.

Washington, DC, March 14, 2022

Our newest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus survey, conducted two years after the first wave, finds that the American public is feeling more optimistic, getting out, and ready for COVID regulations to ease up. This comes as new cases in the United States continues to drop in the wake of the Omicron wave. However, this decline in COVID anxiety has not translated to increased trust in authorities and misconceptions about the coronavirus (and vaccines) continue to be widespread. Americans also continue to believe that we will not fully stamp out the coronavirus and remain ready to resume more protective behavior if needed.

Detailed Findings 

More Americans are getting out of the home and are less fearful of the coronavirus.

• Half of Americans (48%) report feeling hopeful today, at levels last seen a year ago during the start of the vaccination campaign.
• A third of Americans (32%) report that they have already returned to pre-COVID routines. Another 23% expect to do so within the next six months. Only a quarter (24%) of Americans think it will be a year or longer before things return to normal, down from 44% a month ago.
• Over three in five Americans (61%) report going out to eat in the last week with a similar amount (59%) report seeing friends or relatives. The number of Americans reporting that they are social distancing (36%) is the lowest since Summer 2021.
• Only a third of Americans (33%) say returning to pre-pandemic life is a large or moderate risk right now, down from 56% a month ago in early February.
• A quarter of Americans (26%) report wearing a mask at all times when leaving the home, down from 43% in early Feb.

 Americans are ready for coronavirus regulations to ease up – if they haven’t already.

• 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”.

 But Americans understand the coronavirus might be back, and most are ready to change behavior if needed.

• A majority (56%) do not think we will be able to eradicate the coronavirus in the United States in the next year.
• A large majority of Americans (74%) say they are likely to wear a mask outside the home if COVID-19 cases surge again in their area.
• A similar majority (75%) think individual actions have an impact in stopping the spread of COVID-19.

 However, trust in authorities has not recovered with significant pockets of misinformation remaining.

• Trust in the CDC (62% great deal or fair amount), federal government (49%), or President Biden (43%) is unchanged despite the overall changes in sentiment.
• Half of Americans (50%) agree that the media is overexaggerating the threat of COVID-19 and a third (36%) believe 99% of COVID cases are harmless.
• Over a quarter of Americans believe the misinformation “the COVID-19 vaccine is more deadly than the coronavirus itself” is true (7%) or they don’t know (21%).
• Only a third of Americans have an understanding of the current toll of the virus, with only 33% saying “In the U.S. right now, over 1,000 people are still dying every day from COVID-19” is true.

For some of our full 2-year trends, please see here.

 

Washington, DC, March 1, 2022

With new COVID-19 cases plummeting as the Omicron variant continues to recede, Americans report lower risk perceptions of the virus and are increasingly returning to their normal, pre-COVID life. In response, many believe the country should move towards reopening.

The poll also finds that while nearly eight in ten (78%) believe we are in a better place than we were a year ago with COVID-19, perceptions of President Biden’s pandemic performance are not strong.

Detailed findings:

1. Risk perceptions of COVID-19 are declining as Omicron recedes.

• Fewer are concerned about COVID-19 than in early February (64% vs. 73%).
• Risk perceptions of activities like gathering in person with friends and family or dining in at a restaurant have dropped significantly since early February.
• Four in ten (40%) believe returning to their pre-coronavirus life poses a large or moderate risk to their health (down 16 percentage points compared to early February).
• Roughly one in three (32%) indicate they are wearing a mask at all times when outside the home, a decline of 9 percentage points versus three weeks ago.

2. In turn, Americans are reengaging socially, and some report their employers are expecting their return to the office.

• Fewer indicate having socially distanced compared to early February, while more say they have gone out to eat or visited friends or relatives in the past week.
• One in four Americans say they have returned to their normal, pre-COVID life, an increase compared to earlier this month (25% vs. 18%). Meanwhile, fewer are saying it will be over a year or never until they expect to return to their normal life (31% vs. 44%).
• Nearly one in five (18%) employed Americans report their employer has asked remote/home-based workers to start coming back into the office.

3. Americans are increasingly in favor of opening up, though a plurality still want to keep some precautions in place.

• A plurality (44%) believe the country should move towards opening up, but still take some precautions. This contrasts with perceptions in early February, when Americans were divided on how we should be handling the pandemic right now.
• Far fewer believe the path forward is to increase mask mandates and vaccine requirements compared to early February (down from 21% to 8%).
• In fact, support for mask mandates has reached its lowest level since we began asking in August 2021. Now, a narrow majority (51%) support their state or local government requiring masks in public places compared to the roughly 63% that had over the last 6 months.
• Meanwhile, a similar share (54%) support federal, state, and local governments lifting all COVID-19 restrictions (up from 44% in early February).
• Two-thirds (66%) agree that the country is moving toward a time when COVID-19 won’t disrupt daily life.

4. Americans rate President Biden’s performance across many elements of the pandemic as underwhelming. However, President Biden generally outperforms former President Trump.

• Fewer than half (43%) trust President Biden to provide them with accurate information about COVID-19. However, this is still higher than the share that trust former President Trump (24%).
• Roughly half (53%) believe the federal government is making the country’s recovery from COVID-19 better. This is an improvement since late October 2020 (toward the end of the Trump administration), where just one in three (36%) said so.
• Overall, Americans are lukewarm on President Biden’s handling of the pandemic. However, they generally find the Biden administration has outperformed the Trump administration across most of the measures asked about.
  • The Trump administration receives more credit for jumpstarting the economy and supporting small businesses.
• Nearly eight in ten (78%) agree we are in a better place than we were a year ago with regard to COVID-19. This holds true across party lines.

Washington, DC, February 8, 2022

With COVID-19 cases starting to decline across the nation, the American public is completely divided on how to handle the pandemic in the near term, according to the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. As the country wrestles with how to move on (or not), one thing is clear: two in three Americans do not believe we will be able to eradicate the coronavirus in the next year. In coming to grips with the fact that COVID isn’t going away, seven in ten say they are likely to get an annual shot, if the COVID-19 vaccine becomes something that requires an annual booster (like a flu shot).

Detailed findings:

1. The heightened concern and perceived risk from January – Omicron’s peak – is starting to subside.

• Currently, 56% of Americans feel it is a large or moderate risk to return to their pre-coronavirus life right now. While this overall number remained relatively stable since mid-December 2021, this week’s poll shows a decline in those who say it is a large risk.
• Now, 16% say “normal life” is a large risk – down eight percentage points from January, and a return to late 2021 outlooks.
• One month ago, nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) said attending in-person gatherings with people outside of their household presented a large or moderate risk. Now, 54% feel this way. The change has come primarily from a decline in those feeling like it is a large risk.
• Fewer parents also think it is a large or moderate risk to send their child to school or daycare (47% now, compared with 55% one month ago and 63% two weeks ago).
• Currently, 15% feel they have a greater risk of contracting the virus now, compared to April 2020 (shortly after the pandemic began). More than double that (34%) feel they have less risk. Compared to one month ago, the number saying “less risk” has increased, while the number saying “more risk” has declined.

2. However, “where do we go from here” remains an open question. The American public is clearly divided on how we should be handling the pandemic right now.

• When given the choice, people are split roughly into quarters on whether we should open up and get back to life as usual with no restrictions (21%), move in that direction with some precautions (29%), mostly keep requirements in place (23%), or increase mask mandates and vaccine requirements (21%).
• Americans are also evenly divided on their support for businesses requiring customers to show proof of vaccination before being allowed into stores or restaurants (51% favor, 48% oppose).
• A bare majority (55%) oppose federal, state, and local government lifting all COVID-19 restrictions.
• Throughout all of these data points, there are clear divisions by party affiliation and vaccination status. For example, 64% of Republicans support government entities lifting all restrictions, compared to just 23% of Democrats. Independents are right in the middle (47% support). There is a roughly 30 percentage point gap between the vaccinated and unvaccinated on this topic as well, with the latter more inclined to support lifting restrictions.

3. Underscoring the uncertainty about how to handle things right now is significant pessimism on eradicating the virus altogether. A vast majority say it is likely they will get an annual COVID-19 vaccine if it becomes a type of regular booster, like a flu shot.

• Two-thirds (64%) do not believe the U.S. will be able to eradicate the coronavirus in the next year. Just 11% believe we will be able to.
• One-third (32%) feel it is likely they will catch the virus in the next few months. Another 10% say they already had it recently.
• Forty-four percent believe it will either be more than a year from now (27%) or never (17%) that they can return to their normal, pre-COVID life. While this represents a decline from last month, this number still represents a plurality who see a return to normal in the distant future, if at all.
• Seventy percent are likely to get an annual COVID-19 shot, if the vaccine becomes something that requires an annual booster like the flu shot. Nearly half (47%) say they are very likely.
• Among those who have already received a booster shot and are fully vaccinated, 85% say they would get a fourth shot if it were available.

Washington, DC, January 25, 2022

Detailed findings:

1. The Administration’s efforts to distribute masks and tests has been met with widespread public approval.

• Over four in five Americans (84%) support the federal government mailing free at-home COVID tests to anyone who wants one, including a majority (65%) of the unvaccinated. Similar numbers (84%) also support making N95 masks available at pharmacies and health clinics.
• A large number of Americans, 44%, say that have already ordered a free COVID test through the government or post office.

2. Many Americans continue to struggle during the Omicron phase of the pandemic.

• One in five (21%) of Americans say they have gotten a COVID test in the last week.
  • Among that 21%, a fifth report not being able to get an appointment (18%), having to wait in a long line (21%), or trying to buy an at-home test and being unable to (24%).
• Almost a quarter (22%) of parents report that their children’s school or childcare center closed as a result of COVID in the last few weeks.
• Half of Americans (49%) do not expect to return to something like their pre-COVID lives for at least a year, if ever. Fewer than one in five (18%) say they have already returned to normal.

3. The vaccinated are broadly satisfied with the vaccine, but many are less effusive on its promise to return lives to normal.

• A large majority (81%) are satisfied with the vaccine’s protection from serious illness or death, including 46% who are very satisfied. A similar level (77% overall, 48% very satisfied) are happy with the vaccine having no notable long-term side effects.
• The vaccinated are also positive, if less gushing, on the vaccine’s protection from catching COVID, with 72% overall satisfied but only 27% very satisfied.
• On allowing people to return to pre-pandemic routines, only 18% are very satisfied, 61% overall satisfied, and 30% are not satisfied.

4. This Axios-Ipsos poll provides new detail on American COVID mitigation behaviors

• 87% of Americans report wearing a mask, at least occasionally. Among those, the mot popular types of masks are cloth (39%) or surgical (35%). Fewer than one in five (19%) of mask wearers most frequently wear the more effective respirator style (N95) mask.
• 18% of Americans say they have tested positive for COVID at some point since the start of the pandemic. Among those, about two in five (39%) tested at an official test location, an similar number (38%) used a PCR test, and about one in eight (15%) used a home antigen test.
• 36% of Americans say they have tested positive or think they’ve had COVID since the start of the pandemic. Among those, the majority report no symptoms (10%) or mild symptoms (46%). An additional quarter (28%) report moderate symptoms while one in eight (14%) report severe symptoms or hospitalization.

Washington, DC, January 11, 2022

As the transmission rate for COVID-19 cases remains high, the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index – the first since the Omicron variant became widespread in the U.S. – shows that the variant has forced a collective pause on the nation. A majority of Americans report social distancing, a level of which we have not seen since last spring when vaccination rates began to increase widely. Fewer also report leaving their homes to dine out at restaurants, go to retail stores, or see family and friends. Moreover, the number of self-reported breakthrough cases, meaning those who tested positive or think they had COVID after they were fully vaccinated, has increased significantly from last year.

Detailed findings:

1. With this latest surge, more Americans are social distancing and quarantining, in numbers not seen since last spring.

• More than half (57%) have social distanced in the last week, a rate last seen in early May 2021. The number of Americans self-quarantining over the past week (13%) is also on the rise (up from 8% last month) and at its highest rate since April 2021.
• The share of Americans that have gone out to eat (46%), visited friends or relatives (50%), and visited a non-grocery retail store (52%) in the last week is at a low not seen since March/April of 2021.
• Vaccinated Americans are more likely to report having social distanced (61%) and gotten a COVID test (19%) in the last week than those who are unvaccinated (47% and 12%, respectively). However, there is no difference in terms of out of home behaviors such as going to a restaurant and seeing friends or relatives between these two groups.
• Roughly one in six parents (16%) report their child’s school or childcare center has closed due to the virus in the past few weeks.

2. At the same time, out of home activities are once again seen as more risky. Perceptions of risk surpass those seen for the Delta variant (in fall 2021), and this time around, more Americans report masking up to protect themselves.

• One in four (25%) believe attending in-person gatherings of friends and family outside the household is a large risk, up from 14% in December 2021 and the highest since March 2021. Trends in risk perception have increased in a similar pattern for other activities, like dining in a restaurant and traveling on a plane or mass transit.
• The majority of Americans believe traveling on a plane or mass transit (74%), attending in-person gatherings of friends and family outside the household (63%), and dining in a restaurant (58%) is a large or moderate risk to their health.
• Most parents (55%) view sending their child to school or daycare as a large or moderate risk. This is on par with last September, close to the start of the school year in many places, and during the spread of the Delta variant (55% then said “sending your child to school” was a large or moderate risk).
• More Americans are masking “at all times” – up six percentage points since last month (38% to 44%) – and the highest rate since last May 2021, when vaccination became more widespread.
  • However, this increase is largely due to more frequent masking among the vaccinated. Compared to last month, more vaccinated Americans are wearing masks “at all times” (49% vs. 40%), while masking rates among the unvaccinated are largely unchanged (28% report wearing masks “at all times” this month compared to 32% last month).

3. Amid news reports of more vaccinated Americans getting sick this time around, our poll confirms self-reported “breakthrough cases” are on the rise.

• Among Americans who have had COVID-19 – this includes those who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or think they have had it but did not receive a positive test – one in three (36%) report contracting the virus after they were fully vaccinated.
• This holds true among those that are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot; one in three (32%) contracted COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated. Again, this is among those who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or think they have had it but did not receive a positive test.
• Significantly more Americans feel they are “at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 now compared to in April 2020” than did last month (22% vs. 6%).

4. In light of the CDC’s shortened quarantine guidelines, Americans vary in what they believe they would do if they contracted COVID-19 and had a mild case or no symptoms.

• A plurality (30%) would quarantine or self-isolate until they received a negative COVID test if they contracted a mild or asymptomatic case of COVID-19. Meanwhile roughly one in four (23%) would still quarantine or self-isolate for 10 or more days while one in five (19%) would quarantine or self-isolate for around 5 days.
• No differences exist between vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans in terms of those that would quarantine for five or ten days.
• However, vaccinated Americans (34%) are more likely than unvaccinated Americans (18%) to say they would quarantine until they test negative.
• Roughly one in five unvaccinated Americans would not self-isolate if they contracted a mild or asymptomatic case of COVID, instead opting to limit their interactions with others but not self-isolate (11%) or not change their current behavior (9%).
• Those that have a great deal of trust in the CDC to provide accurate information about COVID-19 has declined since the change in their quarantine guidelines (23% this month compared to 29% last month). However, the share that have a great deal or fair amount of trust is essentially unchanged (62% vs. 65%).

Washington, DC, December 14, 2021

Following the discovery of the Omicron variant, risk perceptions around certain out-of-home activities (e.g., gathering with friends and family, traveling on an airplane) are trending upwards again, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. However, at this point in the pandemic, Americans appear to be locked into their behaviors; few have increased the rate in which they wear masks or social distance in public and the vast majority intend to gather with friends and family over the holidays.

The poll also finds a disconnect between employed Americans, who support mask and vaccine mandates in their own workplace, and all Americans, who are more opposed to passing laws enabling employers to enforce these policies.

Detailed findings:

1. Risk perceptions around some activities are increasing, though few have changed their behaviors outside the home.

• Perceptions of the risk associated with activities like gathering with friends and family outside the household, shopping at retail stores, and traveling on an airplane are trending upward.
• The majority (52%) believe returning to their pre-coronavirus life right now is a large or moderate risk, up from 44% who said the same in late November.
• Nearly one-third (31%) do not expect to be able to return to their pre-COVID life until more than a year from now, the highest percent to say so in 2021.
• The share wearing a mask and social distancing all of the time or sometimes when outside the home remains consistent at about seven in ten.
• Nearly three in four (72%) plan to see family or friends outside of the household over the holidays.

2. While the majority of employed Americans support vaccine and mask mandates in their workplace, Americans at large do not support laws that would deny service or employment to the non-vaccinated.

• The majority of employed Americans continue to support their employer requiring employees to be vaccinated (54%) and requiring all employees and customers/guests to be masked in their own workplace (65%).
• However, a slight majority (51%) of Americans support making it illegal for companies to deny service or employment to the non-vaccinated.
• This includes 55% of republicans, 51% of independents, and 46% of Democrats.

3. Half the vaccinated respondents in our poll report receiving a booster shot. However, for the majority of the vaccinated who haven't gotten a booster, Omicron has no impact in persuading them to get a booster. Similarly, among the unvaccinated, the new variant does little to change their mind.

• Half of vaccinated Americans have gotten a booster shot. This is largely the same across the political spectrum: Democrats (56%), independents (50%), and Republicans (45%).
• Two thirds (67%) of unvaccinated Americans say the discovery of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus makes no difference in whether they get vaccinated.
• Among vaccinated Americans who have not yet received a booster, the majority (59%) say Omicron makes no difference in whether they get a booster. However, just over one-third (36%) say they are more likely to get a booster given the discovery of the Omicron variant.
• The majority (53%) of vaccinated Democrats who have not received a booster are more likely to because of the Omicron variant compared to a third (32%) of independents, and a fifth (21%) of Republicans.

Washington, DC, November 23, 2021

With the perceived risk of gathering together for Thanksgiving having declined significantly since this time last year, a large majority of Americans plan to celebrate with friends and family, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. However, who is gathering and who will be at the table differs along the lines of race/ethnicity and vaccination status, respectively.

Ahead of the FDA’s expected approval of two antiviral pill treatments for COVID-19 (one from Pfizer, one from Merck), a majority of unvaccinated Americans say they would neither get the vaccine nor take the antiviral pill treatment.

Detailed findings:

1. A large majority of Americans are gathering with friends and family for Thanksgiving this year, but who is at the table differs by vaccination status.

• Roughly one in three (31%) consider seeing friends or family for Thanksgiving as a large/moderate risk (compared to 64% this time last year).
• Two thirds (67%) of Americans plan to see family or friends from outside of their household for Thanksgiving. This is consistent regardless of vaccination status.
• Nearly one in three (30%) who plan to see friends or family from outside their household are seeing someone who is unvaccinated during Thanksgiving. Another one in five (20%) will be with someone who is considered high risk for contracting COVID-19.
• Gathering with someone who is unvaccinated jumps to 56% among the unvaccinated, compared to 22% among the vaccinated.
• Regardless of vaccination status, similar shares will be dining with someone who is high risk.

2. Differences in the share of Black and Hispanic Americans who plan to gather with friends and family for Thanksgiving coincide with increased perceptions of the risk it poses.

• Fewer Black (48%) and Hispanic (58%) Americans plan to gather with friends or family from outside of their household for Thanksgiving than white ones (73%).
• Black (46%) and Hispanic (42%) Americans are more likely to consider seeing friends or family for Thanksgiving as a large/moderate risk than white ones (25%).
• The vast majority (roughly 90%+) of Black, Hispanic, and white Americans generally observe Thanksgiving, indicating this is not due to cultural differences.

3. Americans support expanding booster shot eligibility. Decreasing the risk of becoming seriously ill or contracting the virus at all are the top motivators for the vaccinated to get a booster shot.

• The vast majority of Americans (86%) believe booster shots should be made available to anyone who wants one rather than those who are over 65 or at higher risk of severe illness.
• Just over one in three (36%) vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot.
• Preventing serious illness (38%) is the top motivator for getting a booster shot among a plurality of vaccinated Americans. Another one fifth (19%) are motivated to reduce their likelihood of catching COVID-19.

4. Americans have heard of the new COVID-19 antiviral pill treatment but don’t know much about it.

• Nearly three quarters (76%) of Americans have heard of the new COVID-19 antiviral pill treatment. However, half (50%) say they know almost nothing about it.
• More than half (53%) of unvaccinated Americans say they would not get the COVID-19 vaccine or take the anti-viral pill if they contracted COVID.

Washington, DC, November 9, 2021

Attitudinal shifts in the risk COVID poses to Americans’ health indicate the country may be moving forward from the Delta surge, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. This week’s poll also shows that the majority of Americans, regardless of party affiliation, generally find that community institutions, like schools, have done a good job balancing health and safety with other priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes against the backdrop of the highly contested Virginia gubernatorial race, in which education was brought to the forefront.

Detailed findings:

1. Corresponding to a decline in cases since the Delta spike in late summer, the perceived risk COVID poses to Americans’ health is also trending downward.

• Americans are associating social activities as lower risk, with levels approaching the pre-Delta lows last seen in June. Six-in-ten find gathering in-person with friends and family (61%), dining in a restaurant (59%), and shopping at retail stores (63%) as low or no risk activities. This marks a 14, 12, and 12 percentage point shift from moderate/high risk, respectively, compared to late August when Delta cases were reaching their peak.
• A majority of Americans (55%) believe returning to their normal pre-coronavirus life right now is a small risk or no risk to their health. This too has been trending upward since the Delta driven, late-August low of 40%.
• Half (50%) feel they are at less risk of contracting COVID now compared to April 2020. This marks a dramatic shift since last year’s winter spike — and before vaccines became widely available — when just 9% felt they were at less risk of contracting the virus in December 2020 compared to April 2020.
• Those that are vaccinated are nearly twice as likely to consider themselves to be at less risk of contracting the virus compared to those who are unvaccinated (58% vs. 31%), while nearly six in ten (59%) unvaccinated Americans believe they are at the same level of risk as in April 2020.

2. Americans generally find that local public and private institutions have done a good job balancing their health and safety with other priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these sentiments are not strong, with fewer saying these institutions have done a very good job.

• Local businesses get the most credit, with eight in ten Americans saying they have done a good job. The local community and schools are seen as doing the next best with 72% and 71% indicating they have done a good job, respectively.
  • Perceptions of how schools balanced health with other priorities are similar between parents (75%) and non-parents (71%). Democrats are slightly more likely to believe they have done a good job (78%) compared to Independents (71%) and Republicans (68%).
• Comparatively fewer —though still a sizeable majority — say their local government (68%) and their state’s governor (63%) have done a good job.
• Governors are most seen as having done a very good job (23%), followed by local businesses (19%), local governments (16%), schools (16%), and finally, people in their community (12%).

Washington, DC, October 26, 2021

The latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that while Americans credit the Biden Administration for making COVID-19 vaccines widely available, confidence in its ability to handle the next set of COVID-19 obstacles — convincing vaccine skeptics to get the shot and leading an economic recovery — is waning. At the same time, there is a lack of clarity among Americans regarding the efficacy of the vaccines.

Detailed findings:

1. Confidence in the presidential administration’s ability to handle COVID is mixed.

• Majorities of Americans have confidence in the Biden administration to make the vaccine widely available (76%) and distribute it quickly (70%) — including to children age 5-11 (64%).
• Just one in five (21%) are confident the administration can convince skeptics to get the vaccine.
• Slightly less than half (44%) are confident it can ensure the economy recovers quickly after the COVID-19 pandemic. This represents an eight-percentage point decrease since late January 2021, shortly after Biden’s inauguration. The steepest declines have come from:
  • Black Americans (-23 percentage points)
  • Democrats (-15 percentage points) and Independents (-9 percentage points)
  • Americans under age 50: those 18-29 (-12 percentage points) and 30-49 (-13 percentage points)

2. Knowledge of relative risk factors once vaccinated is low.

• Just over 1-in-4 Americans correctly identify a vaccinated 80-year-old is at greater risk of dying of COVID-19 than an unvaccinated 30-year-old.
• Americans are split on whether unvaccinated people and vaccinated people are equally likely to test positive for COVID-19. Four in ten (40%) correctly identify this as false, while another 38% erroneously believe it to be true, and 21% say they don’t know.
• While a majority (60%) correctly identify that an unvaccinated person is at least 10 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than a vaccinated person, just over one in four (26%) say they don’t know and 14% believe this to be false.
• Nearly a quarter (23%) of Americans don’t know whether the vaccine is effective in preventing serious illness among people with 'breakthrough' cases, while two thirds (66%) correctly indicate this is true and 11% say it’s false.

3. Employed Americans continue to support vaccine requirements in their workplace, but there’s still no consensus on the appreciate consequences of non-compliance.

• Six in ten support their employer requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 — largely consistent since August.
• Support for firing employees who do not comply remains low (14%). Americans are torn on whether nothing should happen (25%), employers should place them on unpaid leave (23%), or require them to work from home or an alternate location (20%).
• Nearly one in three (31%) workers are currently employed somewhere with vaccine requirements, similar to this time last month, but up 12 percentage points from the end of August.

4. With Halloween on the horizon, trick-or-treating is seen as mostly safe this year.

• Nearly half (46%) of parents say it’s a small risk for their child(ren) while almost quarter (23%) indicate it’s no risk.
• This is in line with how Americans at large feel about trick-or-treating in their community: 42% say it’s a small risk, while 24% say it’s no risk.

Washington, DC, October 12, 2021

Compared to earlier this year, more Americans now expect it to take a year or more before they can return to their normal lives, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. However, at the same time a majority of Americans have already gotten back to “normal” on some aspects of their lives like seeing friends or family or going out to eat, reflecting the challenges navigating this time. As Americans shift their expectations and foresee a longer wait to return to their pre-COVID lives, trust in President Biden to provide accurate information continues to decline. This week’s poll also shows that a majority continue to support vaccine requirements in a variety of settings (for educators, federal employees, healthcare workers, etc.); however, only around one in seven Americans support firing people who do not comply with vaccine requirements in their workplace.

Detailed findings:

1. While most Americans are doing things outside of the home, like seeing friends or dining out, they also now feel like their full “normal, pre-COVID life” is getting farther away.

• Thirty percent expect it to take more than a year from now before they can return to normal life. This number has more than tripled since early June (9%). Another quarter (24%) say it will be within the six months to a year, up from 19% in June.
• The center of gravity for “back to normal” has shifted further into the future. Now, fewer say they already have returned to their pre-COVID life (22% now, compared to 28% in June) or that it will happen within the next one to six months (13% now, compared to 36% in June).
• While “normal” feels farther away for Americans on the whole, a majority are reporting they have already resumed certain regular activities, like attending in-person gatherings of friends and family outside of the home (55%, up from 30% in early March) and dining in at a restaurant (59%, up from 36% in early March).

2. Against the backdrop of a more pessimistic outlook on what “normal” looks like, the public continues to lose trust in President Biden on COVID-19.

• Currently, 42% trust President Biden a great deal or a fair amount to provide them with accurate information on COVID-19.
• This represents a seven percentage point drop from one month ago, a 10 percentage point drop from six months ago, and a 16-point decline from the inauguration (Biden’s high point on the question).
• Among Democrats, 81% trust the president at least a fair amount. However, only one in three trust Biden “a great deal.” To compare, in June, 45% of Democrats trusted Biden a great deal.

3. A majority favor enabling vaccine requirements in various workplaces, including two in three who favor vaccine requirements for healthcare workers. However, few favor the most serious repercussion – firing someone – who defy or break the rules around vaccine requirements.

• Around two-thirds (65%) support requiring all people in a healthcare setting to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
• Most Americans also continue to support requiring federal employees, businesses with 100 employees or more, and their own employer enacting vaccine requirements.
• Just 14% say employees who defy or break the rule requiring staff to be vaccinated or undergo regular testing should be fired. Another 22% believe they should be placed on unpaid leave. On the other end, 29% say nothing should happen to them.
• While we are collectively uncertain about what consequences, if any, to give people who break the rules on vaccines in the workplace, there is a sharp partisan divide on the issue that is brewing under the surface.
• For example, just 4% of Republicans say someone who defies these requirements should be fired, compared to 23% of Democrats. In fact, a majority of Democrats (56%) say someone should either be fired or put on unpaid leave, compared to just 19% of Republicans.
• As more employers begin to consider enacting such requirements, 6% of respondents report knowing someone who is unvaccinated and has obtained a fake vaccine card.

Washington, DC, September 28, 2021

Americans’ trust in President Joe Biden to provide them with accurate information on COVID-19 is on the decline, according to the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. Fewer than half now say they trust the president, a 13-percentage point decline from his high water mark right after his inauguration in January. This week’s poll also shows Americans generally perceive less risk in going out – on a plane, to restaurants, or to see friends, in particular – than they did two weeks ago. Finally, after last week’s announcement that the Pfizer vaccine works for children aged 5-11, parents of children in this age group are split on whether they will get their kids vaccinated once eligible.

Detailed findings:

1. Trust in various people and institutions – namely President Biden, the federal government, and the news media – to provide accurate information about COVID-19 drops slightly.

• Fewer than half (45%) now trust President Biden to provide accurate information about coronavirus, down significantly from when he took office in January (58%).
• Compared to the January high point, Biden has lost trust relatively evenly across the board from Democrats (an 11-percentage point decline to 81% trust a great deal or fair amount) and Republicans (a 10-point decline to 11%). He has experienced a slightly larger decline among independents (a 17-point decline to 42%).
• The number who trust in the federal government to relay accurate information has also declined to just under half (49%), compared to 54% two weeks ago.

   

2. Compared to the past month, fewer Americans see going out as presenting a large risk to their health. However, this change in their risk calculation has not translated to significant behavioral change.

• Just over one in ten believe attending in-person gatherings with friends and family (13%) or dining in at a restaurant (12%) poses a large risk to their health, a decrease of five percentage points from two weeks ago when 18% and 17%, respectively, saw these activities as very risky.
• Currently, a quarter (27%) think traveling on an airplane or mass transit is a large risk to their health, compared to 35% two weeks ago.
• With Halloween on the horizon, fewer Americans now think allowing trick-or-treating in their community poses a large risk to their health (13% this year, 25% last year).
• In terms of actual behaviors over the past few weeks, though slightly more report going out to eat this week, all other reported behaviors (seeing friends, social distancing, visiting retail stores, etc.) remain steady.

3. Just after the announcement of the Pfizer vaccine’s efficacy for children 5-11, parents of children in that age group are split over whether to get their kids vaccinated once eligible.

• Parents with children aged 5-11 are split on whether they will vaccinate their kids when eligible. 44% say they are likely to do so, while 42% are unlikely. This poll was conducted in the immediate days following the announcement that the vaccine works for children in this age group.
• Overall, about three in five (57%) parents of children under 18 say they are likely to vaccinate or have vaccinated their children.
• Looking at the impact of COVID on schools, compared to last summer, parents now perceive a smaller risk in sending their kids to school. Only 19% of parents think sending their kids to school poses a large risk, down from 32% last August.
• Around one in eight Americans (13%) say their local school district has closed schools in the past week due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

Washington, DC, September 14, 2021

Just days after President Biden announced new vaccine requirements for federal employees and businesses with 100 or more workers, the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index (conducted after Biden’s announcement) finds that 60% of Americans support the federal government implementing these new policies. However, support for these items highlights the ongoing polarization of COVID-related policies, as a strong majority of Democrats favor these items (along with most Independents), while most Republicans oppose. Though support is high for vaccine requirements in the workplace, few Americans are experiencing them firsthand – though slightly more are facing these requirements compared to last month.

Detailed findings:

1. Newly announced vaccine requirements for federal employees, and businesses with 100 employees or more, are backed by a majority of Americans. However, this majority support masks deep divisions at the partisan level.

• Overall, 60% of Americans support the federal government implementing these two rules. There is a similar level of support among employed Americans for their own employer to require vaccines in the workplace (57%).
• For both of these new requirements, more than eight in ten Democrats support them, and so do around 60% of Independents. Only around 30% of Republicans back these requirements, however.
• While most support various masking and vaccine requirements in public places (including workplaces), this week’s poll also shows that a plurality of Americans say the current priority for the federal government should be redoubling efforts to get remaining unvaccinated Americans vaccinated (38%), rather than providing booster shots (28%) or providing vaccines to people in developing countries (19%).
• Among the vaccinated, nearly half (48%) say vaccinating the unvaccinated is priority. Just one in ten unvaccinated Americans agree.

2. Other than mask requirements in the workplace, few Americans are currently subject to COVID-related requirements at work or in public. However, there are signs that incremental increases are starting to take place.

• Fifty-eight percent of employed Americans say their employer is requiring masks at the office. Of all scenarios asked in the survey, this is the only one where most respondents say it is something they are personally experiencing.
• Compared to a month ago, more say their employer is requiring masks at work (58% now vs. 51% in mid-August).
• Slightly more also report their employer putting a vaccine requirement in place, though it is still a minority of the employed that are facing this (25% now, up from 16% in mid-August).
• Forty-three percent of all Americans say their state or local government is now requiring masks to be worn in all public places. Though most say this is not the case, there has been a 10-percentage point increase since last month (33% in mid-August).

Washington, DC, August 31, 2021

The latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds fewer Americans stand in hard opposition to getting the vaccine at any point since its release. This shift, coming amid the Delta variant surge and after the FDA formally approved the Pfizer vaccine, is particularly noteworthy among parents who have been mixed on getting their children vaccinated. With more than 45 million children under 12 -- who are not yet eligible for the vaccine – this change suggests that once the vaccine is approved for younger kids, there may be a significant surge in the vaccination rate.

Detailed findings:

1. Concern with the pandemic continues to climb, with the Delta variant a pronounced cause of worry.

• Three in five Americans (60%) believe returning to their pre-coronavirus life right now would be a large or moderate risk, the highest level since early March.
• Three quarters (78%) of Americans are at least somewhat concerned about the COVID-19 outbreak at this time. Just as many (80%) are concerned about the Delta variant spreading in the U.S.

2. Opposition to getting the coronavirus vaccine has dropped to the lowest levels ever.

• Only one in five (20%) Americans say they are not likely to get the coronavirus vaccine, the lowest level since we started tracking. Hard opposition, those not at all likely, has dropped to 14% of adults.
• The number of parents who say they are likely to get their kids vaccinated has surged over the last week, now two-thirds (68%) report they are likely to vaccinate their kids or they already have. Opposition to vaccinating their kids has dropped to less than a third (31%) of parents.

3. Americans continue to, slowly, return to more protective measures.

• Rates of out of home activity are largely unchanged from the last week with just over half (56%) of Americans reporting going out to eat or visit friends or relatives (56%).
• However, the number who report social distancing has climbed slightly with half of Americans (50%) reporting that they are now staying home and avoiding others as much as possible.
• Likewise, mask use continues to increase. Now two-thirds (69%) of Americans report using a mask some or all the time.

4. American support of more vigorous anti-COVID policies continues to be strong, even as more Americans are experiencing them.

• Majorities of Americans continue to support policies requiring the use of masks in schools (70%) or public places (66%).
• Working Americans also continue to support vaccine requirements by their employer (57%).
• About one in five (19%) working Americans report that their employer currently requires vaccination but over half (54%) report masks being required in the workplace.

Washington, DC, August 17, 2021

The latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that Americans are supportive of state and local mask requirements, yet fewer are experiencing these requirements being enacted in their workplace or by their local government. Overall, support for state and local governments to require masks is strong, and most oppose states preventing schools or local governments from requiring masks. This week’s survey also shows a very subtle shift in personal behaviors. There is not a significant bunkering effect, or closing of the economy, in the wake of the Delta variant’s spread, but slightly fewer report visiting friends or going out to eat. More now report wearing a mask, at least sometimes, when they leave their homes, compared to earlier in the summer.

Detailed findings:

1. Support for state and local government mask requirements is strong, but few say it’s been required in the last few weeks.

• Two-thirds (64%) support their state or local government requiring masks to be worn in all public places.
  • However, there are significant partisan differences, with the vast majority of Democrats (88%) and less than half of Republicans (40%) in favor of state or local mask mandates.
  • Support for state and local mask requirements also varies based on where people live, with those living in urban areas (71%) being more supportive than those who live in rural areas (49%).
• Despite this strong support for mask requirements, only a third (33%) say that their state or local government has required masks to be worn in all public places in the last few weeks. Those who say their state or local government is requiring masks are concentrated in the West (50%) and in urban areas (44%).
• Similarly, a third (34%) say their state or local government has required government employees to be vaccinated in the last few weeks, and this is concentrated in the West (53%), Northeast (42%), and in urban areas (41%).

2. A strong majority support requiring masks in schools, and most don’t want state governments prohibiting local mask requirements.

• Almost seven in ten (69%) support their local school districts requiring teachers, students, and administrators to wear masks in schools. Mask requirements in schools have broad support among the public, with no significant difference in support among parents (68%) and non-parents (70%).
• Support for requiring masks in schools differs by partisanship. Democratic support for school mask mandates is near universal (92%), while only two in five (44%) Republicans support school districts requiring masks.
• Only one-third of Americans support state laws that prohibit local governments from creating mask requirements, while 66% oppose this. However, 57% of Republicans support such laws, compared to only 16% of Democrats.
• People don’t want to see schools or local governments punished for requiring masks. Three-quarters (77%) oppose state governments withholding funding from school districts or local governments that implement mask requirements.

3. Half of employed respondents report their employers are requiring masks in the workplace, but few employers are currently requiring vaccines.

• About half (51%) of those who are employed report that their employer is requiring all employees to wear a mask at work.
• However, less than one in five (16%) say their employer has required all employees to get vaccinated, despite majority support (55%) among employed Americans for their employer to mandate vaccines.
• A strong majority of employers have not pushed back their return to office plans, with more than four in five (82%) employed Americans saying their employers have not extended or returned to a work from home policy.

4. More Americans report wearing a mask when they leave their homes, compared to earlier this summer, but other overall behavioral changes are very minor.

• Three in five Americans (63%) say they are wearing a mask at least sometimes when leaving the home. This marks a six-point increase from late July/early August, and an 11-point increase from mid-July.
• While more are wearing masks, other behaviors, such as social distancing, going out to eat, or visiting friends or relatives, have only changed slightly in the past month or two.
  • For example, 59% report visiting friends or relatives in the past week, down eight percentage points from one month ago. Fifty-five percent report going out to eat, compared to 60% in mid-July and 65% at the end of June.

5. In a knowledge test about COVID-19, including items on the spread and efficacy of the vaccine and masks, most Americans don’t believe misinformation about the virus. However, beliefs in fact vs. fiction vary both by a person’s vaccination status and partisan affiliation.

• A majority of Americans believe people can spread COVID-19 even if they don’t have symptoms (85%) and that masks are effective at limiting the spread of COVID-19 (71%).
  • Most Democrats (88%) and four in five people who are vaccinated (81%) believe masks effectively limit the spread of COVID-19, compared to 54% of Republicans and 47% of the unvaccinated.
• While about three in five (62%) believe the vaccine is effective in preventing serious illness among people with “breakthrough” cases, over one in four (28%) are unsure.
• However, there are significant differences based on vaccination status, with 77% of those who are vaccinated believing that the vaccine prevents serious illness among people with “breakthrough” cases, compared to 27% of the unvaccinated. Almost half (47%) of the unvaccinated are unsure if the vaccine prevents serious illness among the vaccinated.
• Few (9%) think that the COVID-19 vaccine has proven to put pregnant women at greater risk of a miscarriage, but 46% say they don’t know.

Washington, DC, August 3, 2021

The latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that the Delta variant has stopped America’s re-emergence in its tracks. Delta’s emergence coincides with an increased level of concern and perceived risk among many Americans. At the same time, the number of Americans spending time out of the home has declined for the first time since early this Spring and more people are taking protective measures. However, most of this concern and these protective measures are concentrated among the vaccinated indicating behavior changes will have minimal impact on the outbreak among the unvaccinated. On one positive note, the number of Americans registering hard opposition to getting the vaccine has declined and parents are slightly more likely to consider vaccinating their children.

Detailed findings:

1. American concern with the coronavirus pandemic has resurged with the spread of the Delta variant.

• Three in four (78%) Americans are concerned about the new Delta coronavirus variant with just over half (56%) of the unvaccinated concerned about Delta.
• Half of Americans (52%) believe returning to pre-COVID activities to be risky, primarily the vaccinated (56%) more than the unvaccinated (43%).
  • The level of perceived risk is up 13 points from mid-July and up 24 points from late June.

2. The country’s re-emergence from the pandemic has stalled as protective measures have increased.

• The number of Americans who have gone out to eat has declined by 2 points (to 58%) and the number who visited friends and family has declined by 5 points (to 62%).
• Almost half of Americans say they are social distancing (46%), up 3 points from mid-July and up 12 points from late June.
• Fifty-seven percent of Americans report wearing a mask all or some of the time, up 5 points from mid-July.

3. Willingness to get the coronavirus vaccine has increased slightly.

• Over three quarters of American adults (77%) have either gotten the vaccine or say they are likely to do so, up 2 points from mid-July. Additionally, the number of Americas who are a ‘hard pass’ or not at all likely to get the vaccine has declined to 15%.
• Parents are also slightly more likely to consider having their children vaccinated, up to 59% overall. Hard opposition to vaccinating children has also fallen 4 points from mid-July to stand at 25%.

4. Proposed measures to convince the unvaccinated to get the shot appear to have moderate to minimal impact.

• Among the unvaccinated, none of the policies tested to encourage vaccination succeeded in converting better than 1/3 of the group.
  • However, it is important to note that among the unvaccinated, approximately half continue to express an openness to the vaccine. Among these, half say an employer mandate or a raise or bonus for vaccination would convince them to get the shot.
  • Among the other half, who are hard opposed to the vaccine, the best performing measure – the mandate – only converted one in eight.

5. Despite criticism of recent rule changes, Americans’ trust in the CDC is virtually unchanged.

• Two-thirds (66%) of Americans say they trust the CDC to provide them with accurate information about coronavirus and COVID-19, essentially unchanged from 67% in mid-July before the latest change in mask direction.
• Almost all Americans (95%) have heard about the CDC’s recent updates in mask usage guidance. Of those, two-thirds (67%) believe the guidelines were somewhat or very clear.

6. Vaccinated and unvaccinated America look in very different directions for the cause of the current surge in COVID cases.

• Four out of five (79%) of the vaccinated point to the unvaccinated as who they blame for rising cases. Beyond the unvaccinated, a third points to Donald Trump (36%), conservative media (33%), and people from other countries traveling to the United States (30%).
• Among the unvaccinated, there is not a single group pointed to as the main cause, especially not the unvaccinated (10%). Among the leading culprits are people traveling to the US (37%), Americans traveling abroad (23%), mainstream media (27%), and Joe Biden (21%).

Washington, DC, July 20, 2021

With reported COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise, many of which can be attributed to the Delta variant, the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that Americans are not yet significantly changing their behavior, but the calculation of perceived risk of some out-of-home activities is changing. Compared to the past few months, more Americans are now associating a moderate level of risk with activities such as dining in at a restaurant, going to the grocery store, taking a vacation, and working indoors in an office. However, it is primarily vaccinated Americans who are increasingly concerned about doing various activities, perhaps explaining why some behaviors (such as mask usage) remain stagnant.

Detailed findings:

 1. After a decline in perceived risk during late May and early June, more Americans are now saying returning to “normal life” is risky.

• Currently, 39% of Americans say returning to their pre-coronavirus life right now poses a large or moderate risk to their health and well-being. This marks an 11-point increase from the end of last month, and a return to the levels of perceived risk from late May.
• Specific activities also follow this same pattern. Compared to last wave, the number saying “working indoors in an office” poses a moderate risk is up nine percentage points, dining in at a restaurant is up seven points, and taking a vacation is up six points.
• Compared to the end of June, more Americans say they socially distanced this week (now 43%, compared to 34% June 25-28). However, a majority still report not staying home/avoiding others as much as possible. This is in line with behaviors from the end of May and beginning of June.
• A majority feel that indoor, large group activities pose a large or moderate risk to their health. This includes traveling on an airplane or mass transit (59% large/moderate risk), attending a wedding where all or part is indoors (56%), and attending a sporting event (56%).

   

2. Though certain activities are once again seen as more risky, this is not yet translating to a wholesale behavior change.

• Looking at reported mask usage, the number of Americans who say they are wearing a mask at least sometimes when leaving the home (52%) is unchanged from last wave (55%). As previously reported, reported mask usage began to significantly – and rapidly – decline in May.
• Just under half (48%) report wearing a mask at least sometimes when indoors in public places. Around one in three (35%) report masking to attend a small, indoor gathering of people from multiple households.
• Two-thirds (67%) of Americans report visiting friends or relatives in the past week, in line with the last two waves (68% in the June 25-28 survey, 66% in the June 4-7 wave).
• A majority, 60%, also say they have gone out to eat in the last week, just slightly below last wave’s 65%, but on par with the beginning of June.
• Reported vaccination rates have also stayed stagnant for the past few weeks, with just under one in five Americans continuing to say they are not at all likely to receive the vaccine.

3. Most Americans who are already vaccinated are likely to plan on getting a COVID-19 booster shot, especially if their doctor or primary care provider recommends it.  

• Among the roughly two-thirds of adults who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, a vast majority report they are very or somewhat likely to receive a booster shot, regardless of the exact circumstances.
• There is a great deal of certainty to receive a booster (if and when it is offered), as a majority (58% or more) report being very likely to receive a booster, if cases rise in the U.S. (58% very likely), if a new variant spreads (60%), if public health officials recommend receiving one (61%), if it is recommended to get one annually like a flu shot (68%), or if their doctor/PCP recommends receiving one (70%).
• More than 9 in 10 vaccinated adults say it is at least somewhat likely they would get a booster if their doctor recommended it (93% likely, 6% not).

4. On the other hand, a strong majority of unvaccinated Americans do not appear to be swayed by new tactics to encourage getting vaccinated, such as door-to-door outreach or celebrity endorsements.

• Among the unvaccinated, just a quarter – or fewer – say they would be likely to get the vaccine under certain circumstances. A vast majority remain unconvinced, showing how these “vaccine holdouts” may not budge anytime soon.
• The scenarios that show the most potential for motivating people are if they could get the vaccine at their doctor or primary care provider’s office (26% likely) or if they were given paid time off by their employer to receive the vaccine (25% likely).
• Fewer are convinced by a celebrity or public figure they like endorsing the vaccine (14% likely) or a community volunteer coming to their door (15% likely).
• In all circumstances, a majority of the unvaccinated said they would be not at all likely to get the vaccine, regardless of the outreach effort.

Washington, DC, June 29, 2021

As the Delta variant continues to spread across the globe and, now, in parts of the United States, the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that a large majority have heard of the newer strain, even if they are not very familiar. While most of those aware report being at least concerned about the variant, there are no overall signs of behavior modifications or increased precautionary measures among the American public. In addition, our poll shows that the actual number of people infected with the virus over the past year may be greater than official counts, as around one in seven say they think they may have had COVID-19 but were either never tested, or never tested positive.

Detailed findings:

 1. Awareness of the Delta variant is high, yet concerns among people who have heard of the strain are somewhat muted.

• Overall, 84% of Americans have at least heard of the Delta variant, though most say they are either somewhat familiar (38%) or have heard of it but know almost nothing (36%). Just one in ten are very familiar.
• Among those that have at least heard of the Delta variant, one in three (36%) are extremely or very concerned, and another 36% are somewhat concerned. Around a quarter are either not too concerned or not at all concerned.
• Levels of concern are higher among those who are more aware. For those who say they are “very familiar” with the Delta variant, a majority are either very or somewhat concerned about it. On the other hand, pluralities of those who are somewhat familiar or have just heard about it say they are only somewhat concerned.

2. Despite news of this newer strain reaching most Americans, this poll shows very few are changing their behaviors to include more precautionary measures. Reported mask usage continues to decline, and fewer than half say they would quarantine for 14 days if there was a spike in cases in their state.

• This week, around two-thirds report having visited friends or relatives and going out to eat in the past week, on par with our poll three weeks ago, in early June.
• One in three Americans (34%) say they social distanced in the past week, down 10 percentage points from the beginning of the month.
• A majority say attending July 4^th celebrations poses a small risk or no risk at all (59%); the same is true for taking a vacation (64%).
• Just a quarter say they are wearing a mask at all times when leaving the house, and 55% say they are wearing one at all times or sometimes – a 13-point decline from earlier in the month.
• If there was a spike in coronavirus cases in their state, fewer than half say they would self-quarantine (43%), and a slim majority say it is likely they would stop having gatherings with friends and family outside of the home (57%). These numbers are dramatically lower than when asked about stopping behaviors in light of a second wave of the virus, back in June 2020.

3. Some Americans believe they had COVID-19 over the past 15 months, but were not tested for it, or did not test positive. These people are slightly more likely to say they have no plans to be vaccinated.  

• Overall, 14% of Americans think they may have had the coronavirus, but either were not tested or tested negative for it.
• When combining this statistic with the number of people who reported actually testing positive, we see that about one in five Americans either tested positive or think they had COVID-19.
• People who think they have already had COVID-19 are more resistant to getting the vaccine. Among those who think they may have had the virus but aren’t sure, 25% say they are not at all likely to be vaccinated. This is higher than both the overall average (18% of all respondents), and those who actually tested positive for the virus (15% of these people report they are not at all likely to be vaccinated).

Washington, DC, June 8, 2021

The latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows the country’s fears of coronavirus continue to fall as people increasingly get out of the home and back into the world. This inflection point appears to represent many Americans adjusting to a post-pandemic world, even as much of the rest of the world struggles with surging rates. However, there remains a substantial block of the population opposed to the vaccine but unwilling to engage in protective measures presenting a risk of a new surge of cases or an incubator for a virus variant.

Detailed findings:

 1. Americans are venturing out into the world at increasing rates as fears about COVID decline.

• Two thirds of Americans (66%) saw family and friends in the last week and almost as many (61%) went out to eat. Both of these figures are up three percentage points from before Memorial Day and represent the greatest level of out of home activity since the start of the pandemic.
  • The vaccinated (63%) and unvaccinated (58%) are not significantly different when it comes to dining out.
• At the same time, less than half (44%) of Americans report social distancing in the last week, the same level as before Memorial Day.
• This comes as only a third (30%) of Americans view returning to their pre-coronavirus life as a risk, down eight points from late May and less than half the number who felt risk throughout last year.
• More Americans report their emotional (19%) and mental (17%) health improved in the last week than got worse (13% emotional, 10% mental).

 2. The block of opponents to getting vaccinated does not appear to have shrunk, even as some of the harder-to-reach groups continue to get their shots.

• Two in three American adults (66%) report receiving a COVID vaccine, in line with current CDC figures (64%).
• Seven percent report they remain likely to get a COVID vaccination with an additional seven percent saying they are not likely, but not hard opposed (14% total reachable adult population).
• One in five (19%) report they are not at all likely to get the vaccine. This ‘hard pass’ group has remained approximately the same size since January.
• Turning to parents, approximately half (45%) continue to say they are not very or not at all likely to get their children vaccinated. About one in eight (15%) report that their child has been vaccinated.
  • That number of vaccinated children climbs to 30% if we look only at parents of 12-17 year olds (the age group currently eligible) with 40% saying they are not likely to get their child vaccinated.

 3. Americans are divided on the need for vaccines (or proof of vaccine status) as the country reopens.

• A majority of Americans support requiring vaccination and proof of vaccination to travel or attend a large event.
• About half of Americans support requiring vaccination to dine indoors (47%), go to a salon (49%), or to return to places of employment (52%).
  • However, Democrats and Republicans are far apart on these Three quarters (76%) of Democrats support showing vaccine status to return to the workplace compared to less than a third (29%) of Republicans.

Washington, DC, May 25, 2021

For the first time since the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index began, the number of Americans reporting socially distancing in the past week is below 50 percent, according to the latest poll. At the same time, fewer are also wearing masks at all times when leaving the house – a decline mostly happening among vaccinated Americans, in the wake of the CDC’s newest guidance – and more are dining out and seeing friends or family outside of the household. Though Americans are shifting their calculation of relative risk around certain activities, this week’s poll also shows that few trust strangers – such as those at an airport or an outdoor sporting event – to be honest about their COVID-19 vaccine status.

Detailed findings:

1. While the number of Americans leaving the home continues to climb, fewer are socially distancing or masking at all times when leaving the home.

• For the first time, fewer than half of Americans (44%) say they socially distanced – that is, stayed at home and avoided others as much as possible – in the past week, down 12 percentage points from just two weeks ago.
• Some of the biggest changes taking place are among people over 50 and among the vaccinated; but, regardless of gender, region of the country, partisanship, or race, people are socially distancing less than before.
• Fewer than half (45%) are wearing masks at all times when leaving the home, down from 58% last wave. More say they are masking either sometimes or occasionally. This overall change is mostly due to the fact that the number of vaccinated Americans masking at all times continues to drop dramatically, from 65% last wave to 47% now.
• The number of Americans leaving the home continues to climb. Now, 63% have visited friends or relatives in the past week, and 58% have gone out to eat – both a 4-point increase from last wave, but a 10-point uptick from mid-April, just over one month ago.
• One area that hasn’t moved, so far, is returning to the office. One in three employed respondents say they worked from home or remotely. That number has remained relatively constant for this year and much of late 2020.

2.Most Americans do not trust people, outside of their close circle, to be honest about their COVID-19 vaccination status.

• More than seven in ten trust their coworkers (71%) and family or close friends (88%), either a great deal or fair amount, to be honest about their vaccine status. From there, trust falls pretty dramatically when asking about certain groups you may encounter in your daily life.
• For example, just a quarter say they trust people at an airport (24%), people at an outdoor sporting event or concert (25%), and people dining indoors or who are at a bar or nightclub (25%) to be honest about their status.
• Though trust is low overall, there is a significant partisan gap on this question. Democrats are even less likely than Republicans (and Americans overall) to trust people to be honest about their vaccine status. The gap is particularly pronounced when asked whether they would trust someone who is opposed to getting the vaccine to be honest about their status (19% of Democrats trust this group compared to 47% of Republicans).

3. The risk of returning to “normal life” continues to decline, along with risks associated with certain activities.

• Overall, 38% say returning to their normal, pre-coronavirus life is a large or moderate risk, down from 43% last wave, and from 52% last month. Now, there is no difference between the vaccinated and unvaccinated on the overall perceived level of risk.
• Many activities are also seen as less and less risky. For example, now more than one in five say attending in-person gatherings of friends/family outside the home poses no risk (22%, up from 17% last wave). Overall, around two-thirds say this poses little or no risk, and just 8% say it poses a large risk.
• Traveling on a plane is still seen as one of the riskier behaviors: 58% say this poses a large or moderate risk. Even here, the relative risk is getting slightly smaller. Just over a month ago, 68% said flying was a large or moderate risk.
• Some new items this week are still seen as more risky, including attending a concert, indoors (62% large/moderate risk), and going to a bar or nightclub (64%). On both of these, pluralities view the activity as a large risk.
• Taken overall, Americans are more inclined to start doing activities again as the perceived risk declines. But, activities that are indoors and with large crowds are still seen as risky by a majority.

4. Virtually all have heard something about the CDC’s most recent change in guidelines around mask usage and social distancing. Of those aware of the CDC’s change, most feel the guidelines were at least somewhat clear.

• There is near-universal awareness of the CDC’s recent updates to mask usage and social distancing guidelines for vaccinated Americans: 96% have at least heard of the change, with a strong majority (82%) saying they are very or somewhat familiar.
• Among these people, most (69%) say the new guidelines are clear. However, there are signs the guidance may not be crystal clear: just 19% say “very clear,” compared to 50% who say “somewhat clear.”
• Trust in the CDC to provide people with accurate information about COVID-19 remains high (66%) and has not changed at all in recent weeks.

Washington, DC, May 11, 2021

The latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that Americans’ reemergence is moving full steam ahead. A majority have dined in a restaurant or visited friends and relatives in the past week – and these numbers continue to climb each week – while fewer are wearing masks at all times when leaving the house. At the same time, Americans are reporting small improvements to their mental and emotional health. Finally, as vaccination status is becoming a more common topic of discussion, a majority support having to show proof of the COVID-19 vaccine for travel and leisure activities, like vacationing, traveling on a plane, or attending a sporting event.

Detailed findings:

1. In the past week, a majority have gone out to eat or visited friends and relatives. And, compared to previous weeks, fewer report social distancing.

• Fifty-four percent of Americans say they have gone out to eat in the past week – a six-point increase from last wave, and the first time this number has crossed above 50%.
• Even more, 59%, report visiting friends or relatives in the past week. This also represents an increase from the previous survey and is at an all-time high.
• There is no significant difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated respondents when it comes to these behaviors; majorities of both groups report doing these things in the past week.
• At the same time, however, fewer say they are social distancing – that is, staying at home and avoiding others as much as possible. Most still are (56%), but this number has declined eight points from the beginning of last month, and 14 points from two months ago.
• Nearly a third of Americans (31%) have made summer plans in the past week, including 39% of parents with a child under 18 in the household.

2. As reopening continues, Americans are reporting a small positive boost to their mental health.

• Overall, 18% say their emotional wellbeing has improved in the past week, a six-point increase from last wave, and the highest number on record.
• Respondents are also reporting a similar modest increase in their mental health. Currently, 16% say their mental health improved in the last week and 12% say it has worsened. This is the first time there has been a net positive response (meaning, more say improved than worsened) since we started asking this question at the beginning of the pandemic.
• There is no reported difference in mental or emotional health based on one’s vaccination status. Younger Americans (under age 30) are among the most likely to say their mental health and emotional well-being have improved in the past week.

3. Overall, mask usage while out of the home is declining. However, vaccinated Americans still report wearing masks more regularly than unvaccinated Americans.

• Currently, 58% say they are wearing a mask at all times when leaving the home, down from 63% last wave and the lowest this number has been since June 2020.
• This decline is primarily driven by vaccinated people. Currently, 65% say they are wearing a mask at all times when leaving the house, down from nearly three-quarters last month.
• Yet vaccinated people are still more likely than the unvaccinated to report adhering to strict masking protocol. Fewer than half of unvaccinated Americans (46%) report wearing masks at all times when leaving the house, compared to the 65% mentioned above.
• Mask usage remains most common when indoors – 58% say they’re wearing one at all times when indoors in public places – and, in line with recent changes to CDC guidance, far less common outdoors. Just over one in ten say they are wearing a mask at all times when spending time outdoors with family or people they know, or specifically when with fully vaccinated family and friends.

4. Vaccination status is becoming a topic of conversation – but less so in the workplace. Most Americans support having to show proof of vaccination for certain travel and leisure activities.

• Around three in five have asked family or close friends about their vaccination status (62%) or been asked by people if they are vaccinated (61%).
• Fewer have asked people outside of their close circle if they are vaccinated (42%) or had their employer ask about their status (28%). Five percent of employed respondents report their employer required them to get the vaccine.
• These conversations (not including employer requirements) are more common among vaccinated people, Democrats, those living in urban or suburban areas, and people over 50.
• A majority are in favor of showing proof of COVID-19 vaccination to travel on an airplane internationally (64%) or domestically (63%), vacation at a hotel, resort, or on a cruise ship (61%), attend a sporting event (57%), and return to your place of employment (55%). Views are more mixed when it comes to dining in restaurants or going to a salon.
• The same groups of people talking more openly about vaccine status are also more in favor of requiring proof of vaccine to do certain things.

5. These actual changes in behaviors correspond with a perceived decline in risk of social functions or gatherings outside of the household.

• Overall, 43% say that returning to their normal, pre-coronavirus life right now carries a large or moderate risk to their health, compared to 52% three weeks ago. Compared to last month, more Americans also say specific, “normal” pre-coronavirus activities carry a smaller risk to their health.
• For example, 60% say going to salons, barber shops, or spas carries a small risk, or no risk at all, compared to 54% last wave. As the small/no risk number grows, fewer report thinking this poses a large or moderate risk.
• Fewer also feel that attending a sporting event, taking a vacation, working indoors in an office, and dining in at a restaurant carry a large or moderate risk to their health, compared to previous months.

Washington, DC, April 20, 2021

Nine in ten Americans are aware of the temporary pause in distributing Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, which was fielded just a few days after the pause was announced. A similarly high majority believes the CDC and FDA are acting responsibly in recommending this pause. At the same time, Americans continue to tiptoe toward normalcy, as more are doing activities outside of the home, and fewer report wearing masks at all times compared to previous weeks.

Detailed findings:

1. Nearly all Americans are aware of the pause in J&J COVID-19 vaccines, almost right after it was announced. A vast majority believe health officials are acting responsibly in taking this step.

• Ninety-one percent of Americans have heard of the pause, showing a clear breakthrough of the issue in our collective consciousness in a very short period of time.
• Nearly the same number, 88%, feel the FDA and CDC are acting responsibly by recommending a pause in the J&J vaccine (among those that have heard of the pause).
• Over time, trust in the CDC and national public health officials to provide people with accurate information about COVID-19 has remained high, and steady (around two-thirds to 70% trust these entities), which could be a contributing factor in this belief.
• Americans, regardless of political affiliation, feel health officials are acting responsibly by recommending the pause in the one-dose vaccines; 87% of Republicans and 91% of Democrats agree.

 2. Amidst the pause in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, there has been no change in Americans’ likelihood to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

• Currently, 20% say they are not at all likely to get the vaccine, as soon as it’s available to them. This number has remained steady since early January 2021.
• At the same time, the number of American adults that report receiving at least one dose of the vaccine continues to climb (now at 56%).

3. Americans are continuing to re-emerge. Their habits, and calculation of risk, are changing accordingly.

• This week, there are small, but steady, increases in the number of people that report going out to eat and visiting retail stores. A bare majority (53%) also report having visited friends or relatives in the past week. 
• At the same time, the number of Americans that report having social distanced in the past week (61%) is down six points from this time last month and 13 points from two months ago.
• While a clear majority of Americans still report wearing a mask at all times when leaving the house (63%), this number is down 10 percentage points from this time two months ago, and is at the lowest point we’ve seen since last summer.
• The perceived risk of returning to your normal, pre-coronavirus life is at the lowest level since we’ve started asking the question (currently 52%). The risks associated with specific activities such as shopping in retail stores and in grocery stores, and attending sporting events, is also declining.

Washington, DC, April 6, 2021

Spring has brought a surge in Americans connecting with friends, family, and getting out of the home as fewer see coronavirus as a major risk. Almost half report receiving the vaccine with virtually all knowing someone who has, potentially helping lower the levels of concern around the pandemic. Additionally, Americans are growing optimistic about their financial well-being, as a majority receives the second round of stimulus benefits this year.

However, some groups continue to resist getting the coronavirus vaccine, including parents, suggesting reaching herd immunity might be a more drawn-out affair. Additionally, large majorities of Americans report they intend to continue masking and social distancing until the end of the pandemic, even if they have received the vaccine.

Detailed findings:

1. Americans are increasingly getting out of the home as they reconnect with loved ones.

• Over half (55%) of Americans report seeing family or friends in the last week, a pandemic-era high. A slightly lower level (45%) report going out to eat in the last week. Over a third (37%) of Americans report visiting a park, beach, or other outdoor space.
• Less than two-thirds (64%) of Americans report that they social distanced in the last week.

2. American economic well-being is generally in the positive for the first time since the pandemic began.

• More Americans report their ability to effectively do their job improved (11%) than got worse (8%) for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
• Likewise, Americans' ability to afford household goods and pay their rent or mortgage are net even or positive.
• Only a quarter of employed Americans (28%) report working remotely rather than at their normal workplace.
• Almost two-thirds (63%) report receiving stimulus money from the government, which has primarily gone to savings (40%), paying off debts (30%), or basic needs (27%).

3. The perceived risk of ‘regular’ activities continues to decline.

• Just over half (55%) say returning to their pre-coronavirus life is a moderate or large risk to their health right now, the lowest level of risk since tracking began in April 2020.
• Over two-thirds (71%) still see traveling by airplane or mass transit as risky, but that is down from 80% in February 2021.
• Likewise, 69% see attending a sporting event as risky, down from 79% in September 2020.

4. Almost half of American adults (47%) have gotten at least a single dose of the vaccine with 9 in 10 knowing someone who’s been vaccinated.

• Among those who’ve gotten the vaccine, two-thirds (64%) have received the full course while one-third (36%) are partially vaccinated.
• Almost half of Americans (47%) report knowing someone who had trouble getting a vaccine appointment, essentially unchanged from March.

5. However, there are some indicators that some remain resistant to the vaccine.

• One in five (19%) Americans continue to say they are not at all likely to get the vaccine. This figure has barely budged since the beginning of 2021.
• Republicans (31%) and those with a high school education or less (28%) remain most resistant to the vaccine.
• Only half (52%) of parents currently say they are likely to have their child get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to their age group.

Washington, DC, March 23, 2021

The number of American adults that report having received a COVID-19 vaccine is up significantly from two weeks ago, according to the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. At the same time, the number of people reemerging – going to restaurants, shopping in retail stores, and seeing people outside of their household – continues to climb.

Detailed findings:

1. The number of American adults who have received vaccination against the coronavirus is rapidly increasing, and a vast majority know at least someone who has received the vaccine.

• Currently, 36% of American adults have received a vaccination, up 11 percentage points from two weeks ago.
• This increase is still driven primarily by older Americans (both in the 65+ and 50-64 age groups) but is starting to trickle down to younger Americans as well.
• Nine in ten Americans say they know someone – either themselves, a family member, or someone else – who has received a vaccine.
• However, the number of Americans who are “not at all likely” to receive the first generation COVID-19 vaccine remains steady – about one in five say this. When these people are asked in an open-ended format about why they do not plan to get vaccinated, responses are mostly centered around wanting more research or information, a lack of trust (in both the vaccine and government), and/or feeling they are healthy and that it’s not needed.   

2. The reemergence of society continues – more Americans report going out to eat, visiting friends and relatives, and visiting stores. In some cases, though, it is unvaccinated people doing this more than vaccinated people.

• Compared to one month ago, the number of people who have gone out to eat has gone up 12 points and those who have visited friends and relatives is up nine points. Both numbers are approaching half of the American public.
• A majority (54%) have visited a non-grocery retail store, the highest number recorded since we started measuring this last May.
• Right now, 45% say they have dined out at a restaurant; this number is at the highest point since the very first wave of the survey. At the same time, those saying dining out poses a large risk to their health and well-being is on the decline (currently 23%, down from 33% one month ago).
• Currently, 59% believe returning to their normal, pre-coronavirus life poses a large or moderate risk to their health and well-being, down seven points from one month ago and 11 points from the end of 2020.
• Though there is a clear behavioral shift happening overall, in some cases it is people who have not received the vaccine that are driving this behavior. For example, significantly more unvaccinated people say they’ve visited friends or relatives in the past week (52% vs. 41% of vaccinated Americans). Those who have not been vaccinated are also more likely to say activities outside of the home pose no risk to their health and well-being. On the other hand, vaccinated Americans are more likely to report they social distanced in the past week.

3. Though more Americans are leaving the home, they aren’t abandoning precautions altogether yet. Reported mask usage is steady and most say they will continue to take precautions even after getting vaccinated.

• More than seven in ten Americans report wearing a mask at all times when leaving the house. This is unchanged from recent weeks.
• Eighty percent plan to continue wearing masks, and nearly two-thirds plan to continue social distancing, even after they receive the COVID-19 vaccine (63%).
• However, fewer are saying they’re maintaining a distance of six feet at all times when leaving the home (44% now, down from 54% one month ago) – a guideline that the CDC has recently changed for both schoolchildren and fully vaccinated adults. 

4. When it comes to believing various conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines, few acknowledge they are true. Yet there is a clear gray area: anywhere from a quarter to one half of Americans are unsure whether these statements are myths or not.

• When presented with a series of five falsehoods about vaccines, 10% or less say they are true.
• The most commonly accepted myth is that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine contains aborted fetal cells – one in ten Americans say this is true.
• However, some Americans aren’t able to state these as completely false, either. Half (49%) are unsure whether mRNA vaccines promote cancer or if the Johnson & Johnson vaccine contains aborted fetal cells.
• Americans who are more likely to answer “don’t know” to these conspiracies include those who have not been vaccinated, Republicans, those without a college degree, and people with a household income of less than $50,000.

Washington, DC, March 9, 2021

Saturday, March 13, is the one-year anniversary since the coronavirus pandemic was declared a national emergency in the U.S. The most recent Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that, just ahead of this milestone, the number of Americans starting to re-emerge into society is climbing and fewer are self-quarantining. Furthermore, the endpoint of the pandemic remains unclear. However, very few plan to stop protective behaviors such as wearing masks in public and washing hands after they’ve been vaccinated.

Detailed findings:

1. The number of Americans engaging in social interactions outside the home is increasing. At the same time, the number of Americans self-quarantining, that is, staying at home and avoiding contact with others, has dropped to the lowest point since late October.

• Increasing numbers of Americans report going out to eat, visiting friends or relatives, and visiting a non-grocery retail store in the past week.
• Forty-four percent of Americans have visited friends/relatives in the past week, up seven points from one month ago.
• This week, 13% report self-quarantining, down six points from one month ago. The high point for self-quarantining came just one month after the pandemic began, when 55% said in April 2020 they had self-quarantined in the past week.
• There is also some cautious optimism about finances. Fewer say their ability to pay their rent or mortgage has gotten worse, compared to last year (9% now vs. 17% in the first wave of the survey, in March 2020). The number who say they have been temporarily furloughed or suspended from work is also lower now than in previous months.

2. The biggest personal benefits for people this year are spending more time at home and spending less, or saving more, money. However, there are some underlying differences that illustrate how Americans have varying personal or societal support systems.

• Around one in three say spending more time at home (36%) or spending less/saving more money (33%) have been the biggest personal benefits they’ve experienced since the pandemic began. A quarter (24%) also note spending more time with family. Benefits vary among certain groups, though.
• Just 10% of Americans age 65+ say spending more time with family has been one of their biggest personal benefits (compared to 24% overall), highlighting some of the loneliness perhaps experienced more acutely by older Americans during this time.
•  People with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, and those with a household income above $50,000 are significantly more likely to cite saving money, or spending less, as a benefit, compared to those with lower incomes or without a degree. For people with a Bachelor’s degree or more, commuting or traveling for work less is a top-tier benefit of the past year (22%, compared to 11% overall). 
•  Hispanic Americans are significantly more likely than white or Black Americans to say spending more time with family was a top personal benefit from the year (38% vs. 19-20%).

3. For most, the biggest signifier of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was their state issuing its first stay-at-home order, more so than the declaration of a national emergency or global pandemic.

• Thirty-nine percent say their state issuing its first stay-at-home order most clearly signified the beginning of the pandemic, followed by 26% saying the U.S. declaring COVID-19 to be a national emergency. Fewer than one in five say travel plans being canceled or delayed (16%) or the WHO declaring COVID-19 a pandemic (14%).
• Respondents in the West region are significantly more likely to say the start of the pandemic was their state issuing its first stay-at-home order (46%). Notably, California was the first state to announce this.
• Looking at answers by age, senior citizens (ages 65+) are more likely than younger Americans to say the U.S. declaring COVID-19 a national emergency. Equal numbers say a national emergency being declared (37%) and their state issuing its first stay at home order (39%).

4. Though a clear start of the pandemic exists for many, it remains to be seen how and when people will “return to normal.” The number of Americans expecting to return to normal within the next six months, or sooner, is increasing. However, most will continue to take recommended safety precautions even after being vaccinated. 

• Since late January, the number of Americans expecting a return to normal will take more than a year from now has gone down (17% now, down from 30%), while the number saying within six months, or sooner, has increased (40% now, up from 26%).
• Around one in five Americans don’t know when they will return to normal, pre-COVID levels of activity for attending in-person gatherings outside their household, or dining in at a restaurant. From there, it is a mix of people who say they already have, once they/their circle are vaccinated, or when officials say it is safe. For returning to in-person gatherings, 30% say they already have, 29% say once they, or everyone in their circle, are vaccinated, 21% say when officials say it is safe, and 20% don’t know.
• A vast majority plan to continue practicing existing safety measures even after they get the vaccine. For example, 81% plan to continue wearing a face mask in public until the pandemic ends, compared to 7% who plan to stop after they are vaccinated, and another 7% who have already stopped.

5. Recent studies have shown the pandemic is changing the way we dream. According to our poll, one in three Americans report experiencing strange or vivid dreams in the past month, and a quarter have had stressful or frightening dreams. Fewer than one in ten have had coronavirus-specific dreams, though (e.g. forgetting face masks or contracting COVID-19).

Washington, DC, March 2, 2021

As over 50 million Americans have received at least a single dose of the coronavirus vaccine – equivalent to about 23% of the 18+ population – the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds increasing signs of optimism among the American people. However, with that hope comes a slight decline in protective behaviors and perceptions of risk potentially imperiling the current recovery. This comes as an increasing number – although still a minority – of Americans expect to be able to return to something like their normal life within the next six months.

Detailed findings:

 1. When asked to reflect on the last year, most Americans select words like “stressed,” “frustrated,” or “overwhelmed”. However, when presented with the same list of emotions to describe how they feel today, more select “hopeful” than any other word.

• Nearly half of Americans (48%) say that hopeful best describes them today. This number climbs to 61% among those who have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.
• Looking back at the last year, Democrats are more likely to report feeling stressed (51%) and overwhelmed (27%) while Republicans are more likely to report feeling frustrated (48%) and angry (21%).

2. Interest in the vaccine remains high with 68% of Americans saying they are likely to get it as soon as it is available to them (or they have already gotten it).

• One in five (21%) continue to say they are not at all likely to get the vaccine, essentially unchanged from January. However, only 10% say they are not very likely to get the vaccine, a drop of 9 points from earlier this year.
• People with a college degree or higher (50%) and Democrats (57%) continue to express the greatest interest in getting the vaccine.

3. Almost a quarter of American adults (23%) have gotten at least one shot. When it comes to actually receiving the vaccine, older and more affluent Americans appear to be quicker to receive the shots.

• Half (53%) of the ages 65 and older sample in this survey have gotten at least one vaccine shot as the early phases of the roll-out have targeted older, at-risk populations.
• College-educated (29%), more affluent ($50k+ household income; 25%), and white (25%) respondents report higher rates of getting the vaccine than those with a high school education or less (16%), less affluent (under $50K household income; 18%), or Black (19%) or Hispanic (17%) respondents.

4. Most Americans (65%) continue to expect it to take at least six months before things start to get back to normal. However, an increasing minority (33%) expect to return to something like their normal, pre-COVID life within the next six months.

• Specifically, the number of people expecting normalcy to resume in the next 3-6 months has climbed from 19% in late January to 25% now.

Washington, DC, February 23, 2021

One month into a new presidential administration, the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that more Americans believe the federal government is handling the pandemic better now, compared to when we last asked in late October (before Election Day). At the same time, a majority of Americans report confidence in the administration’s ability to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine quickly and widely, and in getting students back to school, in person. While the most recent wave of the Axios/Ipsos survey was in field, the COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. crossed 500,000 fatalities. Our survey finds that the public remains fairly evenly split on the accuracy of the reported death toll, whether it is higher than reported, lower, or about right. 

Detailed findings:

1. As Americans place their hopes in the new presidential administration to distribute vaccines and get kids in the classroom, the general mood toward the federal government’s response has improved when compared to last fall.

• Currently, 63% are confident in the administration’s ability to make the COVID-19 vaccine widely available, and 58% feel the same about distributing the vaccine quickly. A majority (56%) also feel confident in the administration’s ability to get students back to school, in person.
• A plurality of Americans now think the federal government has gotten better at handling the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the beginning of the outbreak in March and April. Currently, 45% say the federal government has gotten better, compared to 26% who say worse and 28% no change.
• This reflects a complete inversion from views in late October, about one week before Election Day. Then, 26% felt the federal government was doing a better job and 46% said worse. This change is due to dramatically shifting views among partisans; now, Democrats are significantly more optimistic and Republicans much less so, compared to October.

2. As the number of reported COVID-19 deaths surpassed 500,000 in the U.S. over the weekend, Americans remain split on whether or not the reported death toll is accurate.

• Approximately one-third each believe the actual number of deaths is higher than what’s being reported (35%), lower (31%), or that the number is about the same as what’s being reported (33%).
• Compared to last month, however, slightly more believe there have been more deaths than what’s being reported (35% vs. 30% in January).

3. As we approach the one year mark of the pandemic, this week’s poll shows some slight changes in Americans’ perceptions of relative risk and concern about the virus. There is also not a clear sense of what signals will mean a return to “normal.”

• Currently, 69% are concerned with the possibility of getting sick, down slightly from our last wave, two weeks ago (74%). Generally, this represents a slight decline in concern, with numbers not having been at this level since last summer.
• The number of Americans who report social distancing has also declined very slightly to 74%, from 79% last wave. This is the first time the number has gone below 78-79% since early December.
• At the same time, however, Americans aren’t sure when they will return to normal, pre-COVID levels of activity for things like dining in at restaurants and attending in-person gatherings outside their household. For both items, around one in four say they don’t know when they will do this, and then people are split on whether the signifier is when they/their circle are vaccinated, when health officials say it is safe, or if they have already done this.   

Washington, DC, February 9, 2021

Americans have adapted to life during the pandemic with some level of mask-wearing and social distancing as widespread practices. However, our latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that when asked to think about returning to normal pre-COVID activities, Americans are widely divided on what determines it is safe. When combined with low levels of trust in news outlets, this suggests the exit from the pandemic will be uncertain and uneven.

Detailed findings:

1. Americans are perceiving less risk from the pandemic than any time since last October.

• Currently, two-thirds (66%) say returning to a pre-COVID life is a moderate or large risk. The last time it was at this level was October 2020.
• Young people (ages 18-29, 58%) and Republicans (49%) are least likely to see COVID as a risk at this time.
• People who have been vaccinated still see coronavirus as a high risk (76%).

2. When asked about returning to normal activities, Americans are divided or unsure what indicates it will be safe.

• As an example, on attending gatherings of family or friends, a quarter (28%) are already doing it, a quarter (22%) will wait for their circle to be vaccinated, a quarter (24%) will wait for officials to say it is safe, and a quarter (24%) don’t know.
• Older people (ages 65+, 29%) and college educated Americans (34%) are more likely to wait for the vaccine. Democrats (34%) will wait for official word.

3. There are few single sources of COVID information that is trusted by a large majority of the country. Many news outlets are particularly suspect.

• The CDC continues to be trusted by about two-thirds (68%) of Americans for accurate COVID information. However, only half (51%) of Republicans trust the organization.  
• When it comes to news outlets, the networks continue to be trusted by about half (47%) of the country, but cable news (38%) and online news (36%) are much more warily regarded.
• Over half (53%) continue to trust what President Biden says about the pandemic.

Washington, DC, February 2, 2021

While most Americans are eager to get a coronavirus vaccine, they don’t anticipate getting back to something like their pre-COVID lives anytime soon. This finding, from a new Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, underlines the ongoing toll of the pandemic as the number of Americans who know someone with COVID, or someone who died of COVID, continues to reach new highs. Additionally, while concern with the risk of new coronavirus variants is high, most Americans have not altered their behavior beyond the adaptations of 2020 (wearing a mask, minimizing time indoors at social spaces).

Detailed findings:

1. Two-thirds (65%) of Americans do not expect to get back to something like their normal, pre-COVID life for at least six months (around late Summer). Almost a third believe it will not happen until next year.

• Older (65+) Americans and Republicans tend to be more optimistic about a quick return to normalcy. Democrats and people from less affluent households (<$50k income) are more likely to believe it will take longer.
• Expectations for receiving the coronavirus vaccine generally line up with the timeline for back to normal, with most Americans expecting it to be available in the next three (21%), six (25%), or more than six (18%) months.

2. Among Americans who have already received the coronavirus vaccine, most continue to observe the same precautions as other, non-vaccinated Americans.

• Vaccinated Americans are engaging in similar levels of social activity compared to all Americans (29% have gone out to eat, 36% visited friends and relatives).
• Virtually all (97%) vaccinated Americans report wearing a mask when they left home in the last week.

3. Americans are very concerned about the new strains of coronavirus that may be more transmissible or dangerous. However, there is little evidence that behavior has changed to adapt.

• Over half of Americans (56%) are extremely or very concerned about the new coronavirus strains, and most (83%) are at least somewhat concerned. This concern is widely shared across age, race, and party.
• However, there is little indication Americans are changing their behavior to adapt. Trends in socializing outside the home are unchanged and only 15% report wearing two masks some or all of the time when leaving the home as an extra safety precaution.

Washington, DC, January 26, 2021

In the latest installment of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index 61% percent of Americans report they are likely to get the first generation COVID-19 vaccine, up 1 point from last week. This week, more Americans say they plan to get the vaccine as soon as it is available; representing a 6 point increase from last week and a 16 point increase since mid-December.

Detailed findings:

1. Trust in the federal government to provide accurate information about COVID-19 has increased following the inauguration of President Biden.

• Half of Americans have a great deal or fair amount of trust in the federal government, up from 40% before President Biden’s inauguration.
• Trust in Biden has continued to increase since mid-December (58%, up from 54%), while trust in Trump remains essentially the same (27%).

2. The number of Americans reporting that their mental health has improved in the last week is at an all-time high.

• Fourteen percent say their mental health has improved in the last week. This is the highest number recorded since the inception of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index.
• This increase is driven primarily by Democrats with 21% who say their mental health has improved, more than double the number that said the same last week (10%).

3. Americans who plan to get the vaccine “as soon as it’s available” continues to increase in 2021. 

• At this point, 49% intend to get the vaccine as soon as they can, up from 43% last week and 33% in late December.
• Sixty-eight percent of Americans personally know someone who has received the vaccine, up from 50% last week. One in ten (9%) say they have received the vaccine themselves.

4. Few Americans have proactively looked for vaccine information reflecting challenges the administration and public health officials may face in their efforts to reach more people.

• To find out more information about vaccine eligibility, three in ten have visited their state’s health department website. One in five have looked for information on social media (23%), visited the CDC website (20%), and called their doctor or health care provider (20%).

5. Four in five know someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, the highest mark recorded.

• Over a third (35%) know someone who has died due to the coronavirus, up five points from December. 

Washington, DC, January 12, 2021

Sixty percent of Americans report a likelihood to get the first generation COVID-19 vaccine, a new high point in stated likelihood, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. Moreover, more Americans want to get the vaccine quickly; since mid-December, there has been a 10-point increase in those saying “As soon as it’s available.” However, in a sign that demand now outweighs supply, a majority do not expect the vaccine to be available to them for three months or more.

 Detailed findings:

1. A majority of Americans report they are likely to get the first generation COVID-19 vaccine, and the number has increased by double digits since this time last month.

• Currently, 60% say they are very or somewhat likely to get the vaccine, up eight points from the most recent survey (Dec. 18-21) and 12 points from one month ago.
• At the same time, more Americans believe receiving the first generation vaccine poses no risk to them (22%, up from 17% last wave).
• Stated intent to take the vaccine is highest among those over age 65 (77%), college graduates (71%), and Democrats (71%).

 2. The number of Americans who plan to get the vaccine “as soon as it’s available” continues to grow. Additionally, half of Americans report knowing someone who has received the vaccine.

• Now, 43% hope to get the vaccine as soon as they can, up from 33% in mid-December and from 13% in mid-September when the question was first asked.
• Those driving this growth are largely the same groups of people that report a greater likelihood to get the vaccine in the first place: seniors (68% now say “as soon as it’s available, up from 48% last month), Democrats (57%, up from 43%), and Hispanic Americans (46%, up from 26%).
• At this point in time, 50% of Americans personally know someone who has received the vaccine. Three percent say they have received the vaccine themselves, while most say someone else outside of their immediate family (37%). In comparison, just 13% personally knew someone who had received the vaccine last month.

 3. While demand for the vaccine grows, the American public shows concerns about supply and the rollout itself.

• Three-quarters are concerned about the government’s handling of the vaccine rollout. There is bipartisan agreement on this, with majorities of all partisans reporting concerns, though Democrats are significantly more concerned (91%) than Republicans (61%).
• Most Americans, 73%, think it will take at least three months for the vaccine to be made available to them. In that group, 25% say in the next three months, 26% in the next six months, and 22% more than six months from now.
• Fewer than half of Americans (45%) believe it is likely that the Biden administration will meet its pledge to vaccinate 100 million Americans in the first 100 days. Though a majority of Democrats (59%) believe this is likely, most feel it is somewhat likely rather than very likely.

 4. More Americans than ever before now know someone who has died from COVID-19. At the same time, levels of trust in political leaders remain steady.

• One in three Americans, 34%, now know someone who has died from COVID-19 – a new high point since the inception of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index.
• The public continues to place a greater level of trust in President-elect Biden than President Trump to provide them with accurate information about the coronavirus.
• Fifty-six percent of Americans trust Biden, while just 27% trust Trump. Both of these numbers have remained steady since the November presidential election.

Washington, DC, December 22, 2020

This year’s final installation of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that the number of Americans who plan to get the vaccine as soon as it’s available to them continues to grow. For Americans who have at least heard of the recent news about the vaccine, more than a quarter say it has made them more likely to get the shot, though a majority say the news makes no difference. And as the year draws to a close, Americans feel largely positive about their personal health and well-being, and most expect to feel about the same next year.

Detailed findings:

1. As the first wave of COVID-19 vaccinations continue, a majority (52%) say they are likely to get the vaccine. More Americans this week report plans to get immunized as soon as the vaccine is made available to them.

• Currently, 45% of Americans plan to get the vaccine either as soon as it’s made available to them or a few weeks after. This marks an eight-point increase from last week.
• Among the biggest increases from last week to this week are people both under age 30 and over 65, those with some college education, and Democrats.
• Virtually all Americans (97%) have heard something in the news regarding the COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the U.S. Among these people, most (59%) say the news has no impact on their likelihood to get the vaccine, though significantly more say it makes them more likely (28%), as opposed to less (12%), to be vaccinated.
• Compared to last week, there is a slight uptick in the number of Americans who say taking the first generation COVID-19 vaccine poses no risk to their health or well-being (17%, from 13% last week). However, the number of respondents who believe the vaccine poses no risk has nearly tripled when compared with three months ago (6% in the Sept. 18-21 poll).

2. Throughout the pandemic, most Americans have remained positive about their own health, home-life, and finances. Most expect to feel the same in 2021, though around one in three feel even better about what lies ahead.

• Around three-quarters to eight in ten Americans feel their physical and mental health, emotional well-being, home-life, and personal finances are good now.
• For all of these measures, over half feel that 2021 will be “about the same.”
• However, there are signs of underlying optimism. For those debating whether the year will be better or worse, the amount of Americans saying “better” is significantly higher than those saying “worse” – around three times (or more) higher in most cases. For each item, around one-third say they expect next year will be better, while about one in ten say worse.

3. A majority of Americans plan to celebrate the winter holidays at home, with just their immediate family, as most perceive gatherings and celebrations to be risky.

• Fifty-three percent plan to celebrate the upcoming holidays at home with their immediate family. This is up seven points from early December.
• One in five (21%) are still trying to figure out how to celebrate the upcoming holiday season, while 16% plan to see family and friends like they normally would.
• Very few report having traveled in the past week. One in ten have traveled to another state by car, and just 3% have gone to another state by plane.
• A vast majority of Americans (72%) continue to believe that attending in-person gatherings of family and friends outside of the household poses a large or moderate risk, consistent with views in November and earlier in December.
• Slightly more, 76%, say traveling for the upcoming winter holidays is a large or moderate risk to their health and well-being.

Washington, DC, December 15, 2020

In the wake of the U.S. COVID-19 death toll crossing 300,000 casualties, the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds more Americans are willing to take the coronavirus vaccine soon after it becomes available. At the same time, more Americans believe the number of reported deaths is accurate, compared to late September, and slightly fewer are going out in public to restaurants or to see friends.

Detailed findings:

 1. In the days immediately following the first COVID-19 vaccine’s FDA approval, the poll finds that more Americans report plans to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it’s available.

• Currently, more than one in four Americans (27%) say they plan to get the vaccine as soon as it’s available, more than double the number that said the same in mid-September (13%).
• The increase in those wanting to get the vaccine as soon as it’s available is particularly pronounced among older Americans, especially those over age 65.
• Overall, Americans are evenly split on whether they plan to get it soon or later on: 38% say as soon as it’s available or a few weeks after, while 40% plan for a few months after, or a year or more after.
• One in five (21%) say they will not get the vaccine, which is unchanged from September. Republicans, Black Americans, and those with a high school diploma or less are the most likely to say they will not get the vaccine.
• As the vaccine begins its initial rollout, our poll shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans (64%) trust the FDA to look out for the best interests of their family.

2. A plurality of Americans believe the actual COVID-19 death toll is higher than what’s reported. At the same time, slightly fewer believe the number of deaths is less than what has been reported, compared to September.

• Currently, 37% say the actual number of Americans dying from the coronavirus is more than what has been reported, while 32% say less (30% say about the same).
• This represents a small shift from earlier in the fall, when an equal number of Americans said more (37%) and less (36%).
• There is a significant partisan divide on this question, with a majority of Democrats saying they believe the death toll is higher than reported and most Republicans saying less. However, fewer Republicans say “less” now when compared to September (59% vs. 70% in September).

3. More Americans feel they have a greater risk of contracting the virus compared to a few months ago, while slightly fewer are going out in public or seeing people outside of their household.

• More than one in three Americans (35%) feel they have a greater risk of contracting the coronavirus now, compared to in April, at the beginning of the pandemic. This number has more than doubled since mid-September (16%).
• The number of Americans saying they are wearing a mask at all times has reached an all-time high in the period between late November and now. Currently, 72% of Americans say they are wearing a mask at all times when leaving the house.
• Thirty percent of Americans say they have gone out to eat in the last week. This is the lowest number since early July, and represents a 10-point decline since this time last month.
• Thirty-seven percent report having visited friends or relatives in the last week, down four points from last week (41%), and at the lowest point we have measured since early May.

Washington, DC, December 9, 2020

As the coronavirus pandemic rages across the country, the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that almost three quarters of Americans view returning to pre-coronavirus as a risk, the highest level seen since mid-April. However, a minority of Americans continue to spend significant time indoors, in out of home locations, excluding their places of work. Actions that public health officials say is the main driver of the spread of the coronavirus. This minority also reports being less likely to use protective measures (like masks or social distancing) further compounding the risk.  

 Overall, levels of concern have also risen to levels not seen since early Summer during the first wave of the pandemic. Correspondingly, fewer Americans report engaging in social interactions outside the home, though the levels still remain above those seen during the lockdowns of April and May. However, many see a light at the end of the tunnel with over half of Americans now saying they would take a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available – which a majority expect will be in the next 3 months.

Detailed findings:

 1. A small minority of Americans (18%) drive most of the out of home, indoors activity.

• This group spent at least an hour in three or more of the following in the last week: restaurants & bars, entertainment centers, other people’s homes, gyms, or places of worship; or spent over 10 hours total indoors out of home in the last week.
• Fewer than half (44%) of this group report wearing a mask at all times and only a third (36%) are concerned about the coronavirus pandemic.
• This group tends to be under the age of 55, more likely to be male, and more likely to be Republican.
• People who primarily get their news from local sources or do not consume news are more likely to be in this group.

 2. The rest of Americans are more worried about the coronavirus now than at any point since early this Summer.

• Three in five (60%) of Americans are extremely or very concerned about the coronavirus outbreak with an additional quarter (25%) somewhat concerned. This high level has sustained from before Thanksgiving and was last seen in June.
• Almost three-quarters (73%) say returning to a pre-coronavirus life right now would be a large or moderate risk, the highest levels seen since this question began tracking in April.

3. Out of home activity is declining, though it has not reached the low levels seen in April and May.

• One in five (20%) say they are self-quarantining, up from before Thanksgiving and the highest level since June. Four in five (79%) say they are social distancing.
• One in three (31%) have gone out to eat, down from 33% before Thanksgiving and 40% in early November.
• Fewer than one in six (14%) report that they plan to see family and friends outside the home for the holidays. The rest plan to only see the people they live with or a special bubble group or don’t know yet.

4. Interest in the first generation COVID-19 vaccine continues to climb as it becomes more of a reality.

• This week, over half (53%) say they would be likely to get the first generation COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available, up from 51% before Thanksgiving and 38% in early October.
• Most people are more likely to take a COVID-19 vaccine if it has been proven safe and effective by public health officials (69%), has a 90%+ effectiveness rate (67%), or has been on the market a few months (65%).
• When presented with a situation where former presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton take the vaccine publicly, slightly fewer (60%) say they would be likely to take it. An improvement over the baseline but not as convincing as the safety arguments. 

Washington, DC, November 24, 2020

Just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that a majority of Americans report changing their Thanksgiving plans this year. The most common changes are spending the day with only the people in your immediate household or having a smaller dinner than originally planned. At the same time, as a COVID-19 vaccine looms closer on the horizon, more Americans believe it will be ready within the next three months, and more report a likelihood to take a first generation vaccine as soon as it is available.

Detailed findings:

1. Americans plan to stay home for Thanksgiving this year, as seeing friends or family is perceived to be risky.

• Nearly two-thirds (64%) say seeing family or friends for Thanksgiving poses a large or moderate risk. Even more (76%) say traveling for the upcoming holidays is risky.
• Sixty-one percent of Americans report changing their Thanksgiving plans in some way. The most common changes: seeing only those in your immediate household (29%) and having a smaller dinner than originally planned (24%). One in ten Americans (9%) say they no longer plan to celebrate the holiday at all.
• Significantly more Democrats (75%) than Republicans (49%) report changing their Thanksgiving plans. Democrats are more likely to say the change was to stay home with their immediate household. For Republicans changing plans, slightly more say they are getting together with a smaller group (25%) compared to just their immediate household (20%).

2. At the same time people are reevaluating their holiday plans, “normal” activities like going out to eat or going to the grocery store continue to be seen as risky.

• Last week, we reported an uptick in perceived risk of many regular activities; that trend has held.
• Currently, 72% say dining in at a restaurant is a large or moderate risk (68% last week). Fewer report they have actually gone out to eat (33%) compared to last week (40%).
• Three-quarters say spending more time inside public places as the weather turns colder is risky, on par with last week. The percentage of Americans saying this is a “large” risk is 9 percentage points higher than one month ago.
• The number of Americans saying they are wearing a mask at all times when leaving home has reached a peak (72%). This does not reflect a significant change from last week (69%), but rather a steady upward trend from the past few months when it hovered in the mid-60% range.

3. More Americans now report a likelihood that they will get the first generation COVID-19 vaccine. There is also greater anticipation that it will be ready within the next three months.

• Perhaps signaling that a vaccine is now more tangible and less aspirational, nearly half (47%) believe the vaccine will be ready within the next three months, up 15 percentage points from just one week ago.
• Fifty-one percent say they are very or somewhat likely to get the first generation vaccine, as soon as it’s available. This reflects a 6-point increase from last week and 14 points from late September.
• However, confidence in a vaccine grows significantly if it is proven safe and effective by public health officials: 70% are likely to get a vaccine that falls into this category. Among some groups who are less likely to get a vaccine, namely Black Americans and Republicans, majorities report they would get a vaccine backed by public health officials.

Washington, DC, November 17, 2020

As the count of new cases passes the 150 thousand per day mark, Americans are increasingly concerned and show signals that they are beginning to withdraw back into protective isolation. However, at the same time, most Americans do not report major changes in their health or wellbeing suggesting people have adapted to this atypical normal. Additionally, interest in a potential early vaccine is climbing with the public, even if most do not expect it for at least a few months.

Detailed findings:

1. As the pandemic rages, the public is seeing “normal” activities as increasingly risky.

• Over two-thirds (71%) of Americans see attending in-person gatherings as a large or moderate risk, up from 63% in late October. A similar change is seen with dining in at a restaurant, increased to 68% now from 61% in late October.
• Seasonal change also appears to be driving risk. Three quarters (76%) see spending more time inside public places as the weather turns colder as a large or moderate risk, and a similar number (75%) see traveling for the holidays as a risk.
• Almost three-quarters (72%) of Americans know someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, the highest mark recorded.

 2. The American public appears to be moving back into a more self-isolating position as the coronavirus spreads, however, levels remain much lower than the first shutdown in April.

• Three in five (60%) report not visiting friends and family in the last week, the highest number since mid-May.
• Three-quarters (76%) of Americans report social distancing, up 7 percentage points from late October.
• Over half of Americans say they plan to celebrate the holidays with their household (45%) or a ‘holiday bubble’ (8%). Under one in five (17%) report they will spend the holiday with people outside their household.

 3. Public health and state of mind appear to be relatively unchanged over the last few months.

• Just under one in five (17%) Americans report their ability to afford household goods has worsened in the last few weeks, essentially in-line with the trend since the Spring. A quarter (24%) report their personal finances are somewhat or very poor, also in-line with trends since May.
• About four in five (79%) Americans report their physical health is somewhat or very good. About three-quarters report good mental health (77%) or emotional well being (74%).

4.  Trust in Joe Biden to provide accurate coronavirus information has jumped after the election.

• Over half (56%) of Americans have a great deal or fair amount of trust in Joe Biden to provide accurate COVID-19 information, up from 47% before the election.
• Trust in Donald Trump is essentially flat, currently at 28% from 30% before the election.

5. Interest in a potential coronavirus vaccine has increased since the election.

• Just under half (45%) of Americans say they are likely to get a first generation COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available, up from 38% in early October.
• When presented with a range of conditions around a vaccine, safety appears to produce the greatest level of interest with 68% saying they would be likely to take a vaccine that has been proven safe.

Washington, DC, October 27, 2020

Against the backdrop of a new daily high for COVID-19 cases in the U.S., the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that most behaviors around mask usage, dining in at restaurants, and visiting family and friends have held remarkably constant. There are signs that some may adapt their holiday plans, though, as traveling for the holidays is seen by a majority as risky behavior. 

Detailed findings:

1. As concerns over the coronavirus remain high, there are few signs of individual behaviors changing.

• The number of Americans that have visited friends or relatives (49%), gone out to eat (42%), and self-quarantined (14%) is stable compared to the past few weeks.
• The same is true for Americans wearing masks (66%) or gloves (4%) at all times when leaving the home.
• With cases on the rise, slightly fewer say they are maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from all people (47%, at all times) or have socially distanced (69%), compared to last week. However, these numbers are still in line with the overall trend and have not moved significantly week-to-week.
• A majority of Americans remain extremely or very concerned about the coronavirus, and about the possibility of cases rising in their area this fall and winter. However, there continues to be a significant difference in levels of concern by party affiliation.

2. Concerns are emerging about the holiday season, with some making adaptations to how they celebrate.

• Two-thirds say traveling for the upcoming holidays poses a large or moderate risk.
• More than half of Americans (54%) have begun to make plans about how they will celebrate the holiday season. More say they plan to celebrate at home with immediate family (30%) compared to those who plan to see family and friends like they normally do (18%).

3. A majority believe the federal government is making the country’s recovery from the pandemic worse, and a plurality say the government has gotten worse over time at handling the pandemic.

• Sixty-two percent believe the government is making America’s recovery worse, including more than one in three (35%) who say the government is making things much worse. This is similar to views held at the end of August, when 60% said the federal government was making things worse.
• When asked whether the federal government has gotten better or worse at handling the pandemic, compared to March or April, a plurality (46%) say worse. Just a quarter (26%) say the federal government has gotten better at handling things.
• Compared to all other entities, the federal government is the only one where Americans think they are worse at handling the pandemic now than in March or April. More say their local government, the CDC, their employer, and businesses in their area have all gotten better at handling the pandemic over time. Americans are evenly split when it comes to their state government (35% better, 32% worse).

Washington, DC, October 20, 2020

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to batter the United States, new research from Axios-Ipsos finds linkages between belief in coronavirus misinformation and engaging in more risky behaviors. This comes as most Americans continue to view the pandemic as a major concern and risk in the last few weeks before the presidential election. However, this wave of data suggests Americans are increasingly adapting to life under coronavirus and much of the economic and personal anxiety that marked the early part of the pandemic has dissipated.

Detailed findings:

1. Many Americans continue to believe coronavirus falsehoods – correlating with less concern about the pandemic and engaging in riskier behavior.

• We presented Americans with six true/false statements about the coronavirus pandemic which are commonly part of misinformation. Half of Americans got all six correct (an ‘A’), another 23% got five of six correct (a ‘B’), 13% got four of six correct (a ‘C’), while the final 13% got three or fewer correct answers (an ‘F’).
• Americans who got a C or F are less concerned about the outbreak and more likely to trust information from President Trump. They are also less likely to wear a mask at all times and less likely to view attending a political rally as a risky act.

2. Heading into the final weeks of the election, Americans see political acts at various levels of coronavirus risk.

• Fewer see voting in person as a large (12%) or moderate (32%) risk to their health and well-being.
• More see attending a campaign rally as a large (58%) or moderate (17%) risk.

3. Most Americans remain concerned about the coronavirus and see returning to normal life as a risk.

• Four in five (82%) are concerned about the COVID-19 outbreak with similar numbers concerned about cases rising in the fall and winter (80%) or another wave of lockdowns (80%).
• Two thirds of Americans (68%) report wearing a mask at all times when leaving the home. Half (51%) report maintaining a distance of six feet from others at all times.

4. Indicators of personal and economic well-being suggest that Americans are increasingly acclimating to life under coronavirus.

• The number of Americans reporting their physical health (13%) or mental health (18%) has worsened in the last week is at the lowest level since after tracking began in March.
• The number of Americans concerned about their job security (38%) or their ability to pay bills (41%) is also at the lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic.

Washington, DC, October 6, 2020

The latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, which fielded in the days immediately before and after President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis, shows that Americans are well-informed about the event. However, their own behaviors and views toward the virus are remarkably crystalized, and this event has not changed things. Furthermore, the pathway to getting the American public to take a coronavirus vaccine is one of time, proven efficacy, and input from public health officials. Very few are likely to take a vaccine if it were released before Election Day.

Detailed findings:

1. Trump’s diagnosis makes few Americans more likely to wear a mask or socially distance. Instead, their precautionary behaviors remain quite consistent.

• Around one in five Americans say the news about Trump testing positive makes them more likely to wear a mask and maintain a distance of at least six feet from other people (21% each). Even fewer, 12%, say it makes them more likely to wear gloves.
• Instead, a vast majority (ranging from 77% to 85%) say this news has no effect on their likelihood to take these precautionary measures.
• Currently, 88% of Americans say they are wearing a mask either at all times or sometimes when leaving the house. This number has remained statistically unchanged for nearly three months, since mid-July. Similarly, the overall number of Americans concerned about the virus remains unchanged – and high (83%).

2. Amidst Trump’s diagnosis, most say the news does not have an impact on their perceived level of trust in the president.

• Sixty percent say this has no impact on their likelihood to trust President Trump to provide them with accurate information about the coronavirus.
• Among those that feel their views have been altered, there is a fairly even split: 17% are more likely to trust the president and 23% are less likely.
• Currently, 70% of Americans have little to no trust in the president to provide them with accurate information about COVID-19.

3. When are Americans likely to be vaccinated? When it’s proven safe and effective over time.

• Two-thirds (65%) say they are likely to get a vaccine that has been proven safe and effective by public health officials, and 55% are likely to get one that has been on the market for a few months.
• In comparison, just 18% are very or somewhat likely to get a vaccine if it is released before next month’s presidential election.

Washington, DC, September 29, 2020

The latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that just one in five Americans would be likely to get the first generation coronavirus vaccine if President Trump deemed it safe, compared to nearly two-thirds saying the same for their doctor. At the same time, more Americans are questioning the virus’ death toll – now above 200,000 in the U.S. – both in terms of it being higher, and lower, than what is reported.

Detailed findings:

1. Eight in ten Americans would be unlikely to get a first generation COVID-19 vaccine if President Trump said it was safe.

• Just 19% say the president’s stamp of approval would make them likely to be inoculated from the virus, including fewer than half (40%) of Republicans.
• The biggest determinants of whether Americans are likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it’s available: if your doctor said it was safe (62%), if the FDA said it was safe (54%), and if the cost were completely covered by insurance (56%).
• More Americans said the vaccine being covered by insurance would make them likely to get it than if they were paid $100 as an incentive (44%). Furthermore, less than half (46%) believe the government should take on more debt to pay Americans to get the vaccine.

2. Views around the death toll continue to become more polarized, with more people moving to the margins and away from believing the actual count is the same as what has been reported.

• Currently, 37% say the actual number of Americans dying from the virus is more than what has been reported, and 36% say it’s less. The number saying “about the same” has dropped to 27%, down five percentage points from last week.
• Under the surface, we see disparate opinions based on party affiliation. Two-thirds of Democrats (64%) believe the actual number is higher than reported, while 70% of Republicans believe the death toll is being overstated.
• The percentage saying the death count is less than what’s being reported has grown by 13 points (36% now, from 23%) since we first asked the question in May.

3. Trust in the federal government to provide people with accurate information about COVID-19 is on a gradual, but consistent, decline.

• Currently, levels of trust in the federal government, the White House, and Donald Trump to provide Americans with accurate coronavirus-related information are at an all-time low. Fewer than one-third of Americans place a great deal or a fair amount of trust in these institutions/actors.
• In the initial weeks after the pandemic began, a majority of Americans trusted the federal government. That number declined to 37% in late August and, now, 32% say the same.
• When it comes to trusted messengers on the virus, Americans are rallying around public health institutions: 68% trust the CDC to provide them with accurate information, and 67% say the same about national public health officials.

Washington, DC, September 22, 2020

The latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that the number of Americans who say it is likely to get the first generation COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available has declined from late August. Furthermore, approximately half of Americans expect that the vaccine will be provided to them at no cost, and if they had to pay, a majority would pay less than $50, or nothing at all.

Detailed findings:

 1. A majority of Americans would not get a first generation COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available.

• Sixty percent say it is not very, or not at all, likely they would get the first generation vaccine, while 39% report that they would. This represents an eight percentage point drop from last month, when 47% said they would get the first vaccine.
• Democrats and Republicans alike report less likelihood to get a vaccine as soon as it is available, compared to last month.
• Nearly half say they will wait a few months after (30%) or a year or more (18%) after a vaccine is available.
• At the same time, a majority of Americans (60%) do not trust pharmaceutical companies to look out for their best interests.

2. Most expect to pay nothing out of pocket for the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine, and there is little willingness to spend money to get the vaccine.

• Once a vaccine is available, 38% expect their insurance to cover the cost and another 11% expect the federal government to pick up the tab.
• Half (51%) are only willing to pay under $50 for a vaccine, with another one-third saying they are not willing to pay anything at all.

3. With the school year in full swing, more parents are reporting COVID-19 scares in their district, and more are turning to distance learning.

• Among parents who have a child in school, either in person or virtually, one in three (34%) say there has been a coronavirus scare or outbreak in their child’s school district since the year started, up from 22% last week.
• Two-thirds of parents (64%) are sending their child to school through virtual or distance learning. This number has steadily climbed since August.
• Since early August, parents with a child doing distance learning are more likely to report worsening emotional health. More than one in three (37%) report this, compared to 27% of all Americans.

Washington, DC, September 15, 2020

After six months of the coronavirus pandemic, Americans continue to exist in a rough equilibrium. Concerns about the virus remain high and activity is depressed relative to pre-pandemic levels as the country continues to experience over 35,000 new cases a day.

Detailed findings:

1. Americans are equally divided on if the official death toll of the pandemic is under-reported, inflated, or roughly accurate.

• This is essentially the same as seen in July and driven primarily by partisanship with Republicans doubting the total and Democrats believing there have been more deaths.

2. Just over half of Americans trust the FDA, half trust state or local governments, and less than half trust pharmaceutical companies or the federal government.

3. Almost one in four (23%) Americans know someone who has died from the coronavirus.

• One third in the Northeast and a quarter in the South (26%) report knowing someone who has died, compared to 15% in the Midwest and 16% in the West. 
• Fifty-nine percent know someone who has tested positive, with over half of them knowing someone in their community who has tested positive (53%).

4. American social behavior remains mostly unchanged, but below pre-pandemic levels.

• About half (47%) of Americans visited friends and family, over a third (39%) have gone out to eat, and less than one in five (19%) have self-quarantined.

Washington, DC, September 1, 2020

The 23^rd installment of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that a majority are hopeful we can get COVID-19 under control in six months. At the same time, however, most believe the federal government is making our country’s coronavirus recovery worse. For both of these items, and many others, attitudes are deeply divided along partisan lines. Additionally, as more parents report sending their child back to school, nearly half say their school district’s plans for the year have already changed.

Detailed findings:

1. Levels of optimism about getting the virus under control, as well as the federal government’s role in our country’s recovery, illustrate the deeply polarized views that persist about COVID-19.

• Overall, 57% of Americans are very or somewhat hopeful that the U.S. will get the COVID-19 pandemic under control in the next six months. However, Republicans are significantly more optimistic than Democrats – there is a 40 percentage point difference between the two – while Independents are more evenly split on being hopeful or not.
• Thirty-nine percent believe the federal government is making the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic better, while 60% say it is making it worse. This is similar to the current levels of trust in the federal government and President Donald Trump to provide people with accurate information about the coronavirus.
• Again, there is a substantial partisan difference. Three-quarters of Republicans (74%) say the federal government is making the country’s recovery from the pandemic better, compared to just 19% of Democrats and 32% of Independents.

2. After the Republican National Convention, levels of trust in Joe Biden and Donald Trump remain steady.

• As first reported after the Democratic National Convention (DNC), more Americans trust Joe Biden for COVID-19 information than President Trump.
• Forty-five percent trust Biden to provide them with accurate information about the coronavirus, compared to 31% for Donald Trump. These numbers are virtually identical to last week, after the DNC (46% and 31%, respectively).

3. With back to school season underway, many parents report their school district is already changing plans for the year.

• More than half of parents with a child under 18 at home report that school has started. Since last week, the number of parents saying they have sent their child back virtually/via distance learning has risen 10 points (46% now, up from 36%).
• Among parents who have sent their child back to school, either in person or online, 48% say their district has had to change its schooling plan after the year started.
• More than one in five (22%) of this same group report that there have been COVID-19 scares or outbreaks within their child’s school district since their child went back to school.

Washington, DC, August 25, 2020

In the twenty-second week of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, we find that the coronavirus is increasingly touching every American. However, while concern remains high, Americans appear to be slowly adapting, and perceptions of risk are declining. Additionally, half of American parents report that their children have restarted school, mostly virtually at this point.

Detailed findings:

1. The toll of the coronavirus continues to climb with increasing numbers of Americans feeling the impact on their personal lives.

• Fifty-eight percent of Americans know someone who has tested positive, a new high point.
• Twenty-two percent know someone who has died. While racial differences in knowing someone who has tested positive have mostly dissipated, Black (39%) and Hispanic (31%) Americans continue to be much more likely than white (18%) Americans to know someone who has died of the disease.

2. As the focus of American politics shifts from the Democratic to the Republican convention, Americans report being more likely to trust what Joe Biden says about coronavirus than President Donald Trump.

• Just under half (46%) of Americans trust a great deal or a fair amount of what Biden says about coronavirus. Comparatively, under a third (31%) trust what Trump says.
• Over a quarter of Americans (28%) do not trust most of what either Trump or Biden has to say about the coronavirus.

3. While American’s levels of concern with the coronavirus remain high, perceived levels of risk continue to trail off.

• Two thirds of Americans (65%) say that returning to their pre-COVID lives is a large or moderate risk, down from 71% at the beginning of August.
• Americans’ social engagement is essentially unchanged over the last week with similar numbers reporting self-quarantining (18%), social distancing (76%), going out to eat (37%), or visiting friends or relatives (46%).
• Over two-thirds (68%) of Americans report wearing a mask at all times when leaving the home.

4. Half of parents report their kids have started school, mostly remote or virtual.

• Almost a third (30%) of parents report that their children have returned to school entirely in a distance learning or virtual format.
• One in five (20%) report their children are going back in-person full-time or in a hybrid system. Parents in the Midwest (36%) and Republicans (30%) are more likely to report going back to school in-person.
• Almost all parents (80%) are at least somewhat concerned about the possibility of their child getting sick as schools return to session.

Washington, DC, August 18, 2020

Americans continue to deal with the pandemic the best they can with concern remaining high but perceptions of risk inching down in some quarters. However, as children return to school, many fear a resurgence of the virus.

Detailed findings:

1. While Americans continue to be concerned with the pandemic and see substantial risks, perceptions of some ‘typical’ activities are softening.

• Two thirds (66%) see returning to their pre-covid lives as a risk, down from 69% last week and 71% in late July.
• Fewer Americans view dining in at a restaurant as a risk (64% from 69%) or shopping retail (57% from 61%) compared to a week ago.

2. As the pandemic has forced people to do more shopping online, three-quarters of Americans report getting something through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in the last week.

• Over half of Americans (64%) were expecting a package through the USPS in the last week. About a third of those (20% of all Americans) experienced a delay or non-delivery.
• Almost one in five got medication through the mail in the last week. One in four of these (5% of all Americans) experienced a delay or non-delivery.

3. A third of parents have children who have gone ‘back to school’ as of last week.

• More parents report their kids in distance learning or virtual classes (21%) than in-person (11%). An additional 2% report their kids in a hybrid in-person and distance situation.
• Forty-two percent of parents report buying new clothes for their children this week and 14% report buying school supplies.
• Three quarters (73%) of Americans remain at least somewhat concerned about schools in their community reopening too soon.

4. Americans are not likely to see friends and family as a coronavirus high risk.

• Just over a third of Americans see close contacts (someone you saw often before the pandemic began; 38%) or family from outside the household (36%) as a moderate or large risk.
• People with kids in daycare or school (53%), people who travel for work (59%), or essential workers (56%) are much more likely to be seen as risks.

Washington, DC, August 11, 2020

As America passes a milestone, with one in two Americans knowing someone who tested positive and one in five knowing someone who died, the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds America remains stuck in the struggle with the pandemic. Almost all Americans remain concerned about the pandemic and view a return to normalcy as a significant risk while more than a third of the workforce continues to work remotely. But confidence in our leaders to chart a path forwards appears to be lacking with fewer than a third of the country trusting the federal government and only half trusting state governments.

Detailed findings:

1. Americans are concerned about schools driving the new spread of the coronavirus as a quarter of parents report their kids ‘returning to school’.

• Almost three-quarters (73%) of Americans are concerned about schools in their community reopening too soon.
• A quarter of parents (24%) report their children have restarted school. Most of them (68% of those back to school, 17% of all parents) report that their children have returned to entirely distance-based virtual classes. Only 20% (5% of all parents) report their kids returning entirely in-school with an additional 12% (3% of all parents) reporting a mix of in-person and virtual.
• A third of parents report buying new clothes (36%) or school supplies (35%) for their kids in the last week.
• Two-thirds of parents (67%) see sending their children to school as a large or moderate risk.

2. Half of Americans now know someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus and 21% know someone who has died.

• Half of Americans (50%) report knowing someone who has tested positive. This has climbed from 4% in mid-March when we started this index.
• A quarter of Americans (25%) know someone who has tested positive in their community.
• One in five (21%) Americans know someone who died, 42% of whom report losing a family member or close friend.

3. Americans remain concerned about the pandemic and see a return to normalcy as a risk. Consequently, many Americans continue to work remotely and commercial activity remains below pre-pandemic levels.

• Most Americans (83%) remain concerned about the pandemic with more than two-thirds (69%) considering returning to pre-coronavirus life as a risk.
• Commercial activity such as going out to eat (36%) remains low and over a third of workers (39%) continue to work from home or remote.

Washington, DC, August 4, 2020

The new Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index illustrates that with no confidence in federal response, Americans continue to muddle through the coronavirus pandemic. Two-thirds report wearing masks ‘at all times’ when leaving the home even as the number of people ‘self-quarantining’ falls to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic. This comes as almost half of Americans know someone who has tested positive and almost one in five know someone who has died because of the coronavirus.

Detailed findings:

1. Two-thirds of Americans report wearing a mask ‘at all times’ when leaving the home, even as other social distancing measures fall by the wayside.

• With 67% of Americans reporting wearing a mask at all times, including almost half (48%) of Republicans, mask wearing appears to have become the go-to COVID prevention tool.
• However, among the half (46%) of Americans who visited with friends or family in the last week, only 21% report wearing a mask at all times during their visits, potentially limiting the effectiveness of wearing a mask.
• This comes as the number of Americans reporting that they are ‘self-quarantining’ has dropped to 17% with twice as many, 35%, reporting that they’ve gone out to eat in the last week.

2. Americans remain highly concerned about the coronavirus pandemic and continue to see risks around many ‘normal’ activities. However, at this point voting is not seen as among the more risky activities.

• Almost all Americans (84%) remain concerned about the COVID outbreak, with more than half (59%) extremely or very concerned. Concern has remained at this high level since late June.
• Among the riskier activities are things involving larger gatherings such as visiting friends and family (68%), dining in at a restaurant (70%), or among parents, sending their child to school (66%).
• Only 52% see voting in person as risky. However, there is a vast partisan difference on the question with only 29% of Republicans who view voting in person as risky compared to 64% of Democrats. It is unknown what impact this may have on the November election.  

3. Confidence in the federal government has reached a new low as coronavirus comes increasingly close to many Americans.

• Only 29% of Americans have a fair amount or great deal of trust in the federal government to look out for the best interests of them and their families.
• Almost half of Americans (46%) know someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, with half of them (49%) knowing someone in their community who has tested positive. Additionally, 17% of Americans report they personally have been tested.
• Almost one in five Americans (19%) know someone who has died due to the coronavirus. Of these, a quarter (24%; 4% of all Americans) report that the person who died was a family member. Eight percent of Black and Hispanic respondents report knowing a family member who died.

Washington, DC, July 28, 2020

Our latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds Americans struggling to adapt to the ongoing pandemic. Americans are increasingly adopting emergent behaviors like ‘co-bubbling’ (47%) or mask-wearing (63% at all times) to deal with the ongoing concern about getting sick (78% concerned) and the widespread perception of risk (71%) around returning to normal routines.

Detailed findings:

1. Americans continue to see others as driving the pandemic, even as virtually all say their own behavior is fine.

• Three-quarters (75%) of Americans say others’ behavior is making the pandemic worse.
• However, almost all (94%) say their own behavior is making the pandemic better.
• Among the roughly half of Americans who saw friends and family in the last week (44%), only one in five report wearing a mask at all times (20%) or maintaining 6 feet of distance (20%).  

2. The American public does not see a coronavirus vaccine as an immediate panacea with a clear majority viewing the (potential) first-generation vaccines as being risky.

• Three in five (61%) Americans view “taking the first generation COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it’s available” as a moderate or large risk. This suggests that the public remains wary of the vaccine until its safety has been shown.
• To that effect, over two-thirds (69%) view participating in COVID-19 vaccine trials as risky.

3. Trust in the federal government to look out for the best interests of Americans is at a low in our tracking. Trust in state and local governments also remains lower while employers and health officials retain the public’s confidence.

• Fewer than one in three (30%) Americans trust the federal government this week, down from 32% last week and 53% in March at the start of our tracking.
• Just over half (54%) of Americans trust the state government and a similar amount (58%) trust local governments. This is down from 71% (for both) in March.

4. Almost half of Americans know someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. Almost one in five know someone who has died.

• This week, 46% of Americans know someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus – half of whom (23% of all Americans) know someone in their community who has tested positive.
• Almost one in five (18%) Americans know someone who has died from the coronavirus. Black (31%) and Hispanic (28%) Americans continue to be more likely to know someone who has died of coronavirus compared to white (13%) Americans.

Washington, DC, July 21, 2020

As cases continue to climb across the South and West, three quarters of Americans (74%) believe most other Americans are making the COVID-19 pandemic worse. There may be some truth to this concern as new data suggests social distancing measures have stalled-out and few Americans who interact with friends and family outside the home engage in robust protective measures. This comes as more Americans, particularly Republicans, deny the official toll of the pandemic.

Detailed findings:

1. Three-quarters of Americans, from virtually all walks of life, see their fellow country-people as not helping with the pandemic.

• Even a majority of Republicans, 65%, believe that others are making the pandemic worse.
• This includes 35% who believe other Americans are behaving in ways that are making the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic much worse.

2. Among Americans who report socializing with friends and family in the last week, very few report constant use of protective gear.

• Just under half of Americans (44%) report seeing friends and family in the last week, essentially unchanged since the first of June.
• Among that portion of Americans, very few are observing social distance protocols including fewer than one in five (18%) who report wearing a mask at all times and only a quarter (23%) who report maintaining a distance of 6ft or greater at all times.
• This is despite almost two-thirds (62%) of Americans reporting that they wear a mask at all times when leaving the home.

3. Government at all levels continues to lose the public’s trust regarding coronavirus information.

• While the CDC (70%) and national public health officials (65%) continue to be trusted information sources for most Americans, trust in the CDC has dropped 15 points from early April.
• State governments, while still trusted by a small majority of the public (57%), have also lost about 15 percent of the public’s trust since April.
• Least trusted by the public are the federal government (35%) and the White House (31%).

4. More Americans, particularly Republicans, deny the death toll of the pandemic.

• Almost a third (31%) of Americans believe the real death toll of the pandemic is less than the 135,000 officially reported as of mid-July. A similarly worded question in early May found that a quarter (23%) said the official count inflated the actual toll.
• Republicans (59% from 40%) and people who get most of their political information from Fox News (61% from 44%) are the most likely to say that the real number of deaths is less than the official count.
• Democrats (61% from 63%) continue to mostly believe the real toll of the pandemic is greater than what has been officially reported.

Washington, DC, July 14, 2020

Fewer Americans report self-quarantining now than any point since the start of the pandemic according to our latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. This corresponds with socializing and commercial activity remaining high, if not quite to pre-pandemic levels. However, more Americans see returning to a pre-coronavirus life as a large risk now than at any time since the high-point of the initial wave in mid-April.   

Detailed findings:

1. Despite the surge in cases across the South and West, Americans continue to venture out of the home at higher rates and do not re-embrace major social distancing.

• Fewer than one in five (19%) of Americans report self-quarantining the last week, the lowest level since tracking began at the eve of the outbreak in early March.
• Just under half of Americans (47%) report visiting friends and relatives in the last week, a third (30%) report going out to eat, and about one in six (16%) visited elderly relatives in the last week – all essentially unchanged from levels in mid-June before the current spike in cases.

2. However, as cases surge, Americans are increasingly seeing normal activities as posing large risks.

• A third of Americans (33%) see attending in-person gatherings of friends as a large risk to their health. Additionally, over a third (37%) say dining out, just under a third (30%) say going to a salon, and over a quarter (27%) of Americans working remote or temporarily not working say returning to their normal place of employment is a large risk. All are the highest levels since mid to late May.
• As debate about back-to-school rages, a large majority of parents (71%) say sending their child to school in the fall is a large or moderate risk.

3. Most Americans appear to be embracing mask use as a tool to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

• As of July, three in five Americans (62%) report wearing a mask at all times when leaving the home with an additional 23% reporting sometimes wearing a mask (85% total). This is the highest level of mask use since tracking began in April.
• Among the approximately two in five (38%) Americans who do not wear a mask at all times when out of the home…
  • A third (32%) report not being allowed into an establishment without a mask (about 12% of the total population).
  • One in five (21%) report being told to wear a mask by another person (about 8% of the total population), up from 15% at the end of May.

4. As the pandemic continues, public trust in both the federal government and state governments has fallen to a low in this tracking.

• A third of Americans (32%) have a fair amount or great deal of trust in the federal government to look out after the best interests of their family. This is down from 53% in mid-March.
• Just over half (55%) trust their state governments, down from 71% in mid-March. Trust in the state government is lowest in the states currently hit the hardest (47% average cross AZ, FL, GA, and TX).

Washington, DC, June 30, 2020

As June ends, the latest wave of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that American fears of the coronavirus pandemic have resurged to levels last seen during the acute parts of the initial wave. This comes, however, as Americans continue to leave the home more frequently, albeit while taking protective measures.

Detailed findings:

1. Levels of concerns have returned to levels last seen in early May as the pandemic spreads across the South and West.

• Almost two-thirds (60%) of Americans are very concerned about the coronavirus outbreak, with an additional quarter (24%) somewhat concerned.
• Over three quarters (78%) are at least somewhat concerned about the possibility of getting sick, up 9 points from the beginning of June.
• Three quarters (76%) are concerned about their community re-opening too soon, the highest level in our tracking.

2. Correspondingly, perceptions of risk also continue to increase, particularly views of activities that may bring the respondent into contact with large groups of people.

• Over two-thirds (70%) currently say that returning to their pre-COVID life is a moderate or large risk.

3. Risk aversion may also put a damper on the upcoming Fourth of July holiday with 78% saying attending celebrations is a large or moderate risk.

4. Americans have started curtailing social engagement, however the number engaging in out of home commercial activities remains stable or continues to increase.

• Less than half (45%) of Americans say they visited friends and family in the last week, down from the post-COVID high of 49% last week. Additionally, visiting elderly relatives is flat at 14%.
• However, going out to eat continues to increase, now with 31% of Americans reporting having done so in the last week. Visiting a salon or retail store is flat from last week.

Washington, DC, June 23, 2020

Our latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that Americans are increasingly concerned about coronavirus and seeing ‘regular’ activities as increasingly risky after sentiment moderated earlier in June. This uptick in fears comes as Americans address a possible second wave and reflect on their potential to re-enter social distance quarantines if major warning thresholds are met.

Detailed findings:

1. American concern with the coronavirus outbreak, while not as widespread as during early April, has increased notably over the past two weeks.

• Currently, 85% of Americans are at least somewhat concerned with the outbreak, including 56% who are extremely or very concerned. This is up from 80% and 48% respectively in early June.
• Concern with communities re-opening too soon (to 71% from 64%) and the possibility of getting sick (to 76% from 69%) are also up 7 percentage points over the last two weeks.
• Eighty-five percent of Americans are concerned about a second wave of the coronavirus, including 59% who are extremely or very concerned.

2. “Normal” activities are seen as increasingly risky by many including doing their job, going to the grocery store, or socializing with friends after multiple weeks of minimizing concerns.

3. Americans continue to report that if a second wave hits their state, they will substantially withdraw to protect their health. They also express that they are watching for a wide range of signals of a second wave indicating it may not be official announcements that trigger a rebound in behavior.

• About four in five Americans say they are likely to stay home and avoid others as much as possible if…
  • The CDC issued guidelines for people in their state to stay home.
  • Their state’s governor issued guidelines for people to stay home.
  • There is a new spike in cases in their state.
  • Nearby hospital ICUs report full or near-full capacity.
  • Someone they know tests positive for the virus.
  • Someone they know is dying from the virus.

4. Social distancing behaviors continue to subside, but geographical differences remain in people’s experiences.

• Half of Americans (49%) visited friends or relatives in the last week, up from 47% last week and 19% in early April. However, in the states with the greatest increase in cases (AZ, FL, SC) socializing with friends has declined from 52% to 44% in the last two weeks.
• The number of Americans working remotely has also begun to decline, this week at 37% of all employed persons from 43% last week.

5. One percent of the U.S. population has tested positive for coronavirus at this point.

• About one in ten Americans have been tested (11%) and about one in ten (9%) of those tested, tested positive, equal to about 1% of the overall population.

Washington, DC, June 16, 2020

At the end of our third month of tracking America’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that even while Americans are increasingly engaging with each other outside the home, concerns about a second wave and perceived risks of regular activities mount.

Detailed findings:

1. More Americans are very concerned about the overall COVID-19 outbreak than last week as a majority express high levels of concern about a second wave of the coronavirus.

• Fifty-four percent of Americans are extremely or very concerned about the outbreak, up from 48% last week, while 56% report being extremely or very concerned about a second wave.
• Sixty-four percent view returning to their pre-COVID life as risky right now, up from 57% last week.

2. If there is a second wave, large majorities of Americans report that they are likely to pull back into more socially distancing behaviors.

• Two-thirds (65%) say they are somewhat or very likely to self-quarantine in the event of a second wave in their state and almost all (85%) report they will take steps to social distance.
• This extends to social interactions – 79% report they are likely to stop gathering with friends or family – and commercial behavior – 73% report they would stop going to non-grocery retail stores.

3. As discussion of a second wave mounts, Americans report seeing many ‘normal’ activities as being more risky than just a week ago.

• The number of Americans who report viewing gatherings of friends and family as risky has climbed 5 percentage points from last week (57% moderate or large risk from 52%).
• Additionally, views of dining in at a restaurant (64% risky from 60%), shopping at a retail store (57% risky from 52%), or going to a barber or salon (58% risky from 54%) have all increased this week.
• Large gatherings remain highly suspect with 89% viewing attending protests and 74% viewing attending Fourth of July celebrations as a risk to their health or well-being.

4. Over a third of Americans know someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

• While 35% know someone who has tested positive, it remains more prevalent in the Northeast (53%) than other parts of the country.
• Nine percent of Americans report they have been tested for coronavirus in our latest survey. Of those, 6% say they tested positive. This represents about 0.6% of the U.S. population.

Washington, DC, June 9, 2020

The newest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus index finds that the types of Americans who are closest to the ongoing protests are the same people most concerned about coronavirus and a potential surge. Additionally, Americans are increasingly getting comfortable with the risk of infection in ‘normal’ activities.

Detailed findings:

1. One in ten Americans (11%) report someone in their immediate family or close circle of friends attended an in-person protest or demonstration in the last week.

• Fewer (2%) report attending a protest themselves. A number that would represent about 5 million Americans.
• Younger people (ages 18-29, 20%), Democrats (16%), and residents of urban areas (14%) are more likely to say they know someone who attended a protest.

2. Many of the groups attending the protest see the protests as being risky and are concerned about a potential coronavirus surge.

• Almost all Americans (86%) see going to protests or demonstrations to be a large or moderate risk to their health.
• Half of Americans (50%) are extremely or very concerned about a spike in coronavirus cases as a result of these protests, including 60% of Democrats.

3. In general, Americans are seeing ‘normal’ activities as less potentially risky than a few weeks ago.

• Fewer than half of Americans (43%) say going to the grocery store is a large or moderate risk, down from 52% last week.
• Also declining in perceived risks are: gatherings of friends (now at 52% from 59% last week), dining at a restaurant (now at 60% from 68%), or shopping at retail stores (now at 52% from 60%).

4. A third of Americans (33%) now know someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and 1 in 6 (16%) know someone who has died.

• Additionally, about one in ten (9%) say they have been tested with 5% of those saying the test was positive (equal to about ½ of a percent of the population).

Washington, DC, June 2, 2020

The latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows that as America uncoils from the coronavirus lockdowns, experiences and fears vary widely by race and partisanship, potentially fueling the dramatic protests observed over the last week. With localities reopening, Americans are starting to reengage with each other, however concerns remain high and fewer report restarting commercial activities.

 Detailed findings:

1. African Americans report different, and generally worse, impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

• Over a quarter (28%) of African Americans know someone who has died due to coronavirus compared to only 11% of White Americans.
• Despite only a small difference between the number of African Americans (41%) who know someone that has tested positive for coronavirus compared to white respondents (31%).
• More than half (61%) of employed African Americans are at least somewhat concerned about their job security, compared to 39% among White Americans.
• A third (33%) of African Americans report their personal finances are in poor shape right now, almost twice the level seen among whites (18%).  

2. African Americans have less trust in both the national and local government responses, and express major concerns with biases in the effects of the pandemic.

• Fewer than one in five (18%) African Americans trust the federal government to look out after the best interests of their families. Local (46%) and state (52%) governments do slightly better.
• African Americans express extremely low levels of trust in local police forces (36%) compared to White Americans (77%).
• Most African Americans (75%) are extremely or very concerned about the pandemic doing greater damage to people of color compared to 42% of Hispanic Americans and 30% of White Americans who say the same.
• Likewise, 70% of African Americans are extremely or very concerned with the official pandemic response being biased against certain groups, compared to 32% of White Americans.

3. This comes as total social distancing draws to a close, although people remain slow to reengage in commercial activities.

• Forty-five percent of Americans visited friends or relatives in the last week, up from 38% two weeks ago and basically in line with the 48% in early March as our tracking and the pandemic began.
• Only a quarter (26%) report self-quarantining (down from 35%) and 80% report social distancing (down from 87%).
• However, less than one in five (18%) report going out to eat, 12% report going to a salon or barber, and 37% report going to a non-grocery retail establishment.

4. Most Americans continue to wear masks out of home, with only a few reporting altercations based on mask use.

• Fifty percent of Americans report wearing a mask ‘at all times’ when leaving the home with an additional 27% reporting wearing one some, but not all the time. Only 10% report never wearing a mask.
• Of people who wear a mask, 12% report that they’ve told someone else to put a mask on, and only 3% report that someone else has told them to remove the mask.
• Among people who, at least occasionally, do not wear a mask, 15% report that they’ve been told by someone else to put one on, and over a quarter (28%) say they’ve not been allowed into an establishment without a mask.

Washington, DC, May 19, 2020

1. Americans are open to locally-run, in-person contact tracing systems.

• A large majority of Americans say they would likely follow several key aspects of contact tracing systems including 84% who say they would be likely to self-quarantine if they were notified that they came into contact with a coronavirus-infected individual and two-thirds (76%) would give officials a list of all the people they had recently come into contact with.
• However, fewer (56%) would give access to their cell phone location data echoing the 51% who would opt-into a cell-phone based tracing system established by public health officials in our wave 9 study.

2. The end of social distancing is driven by seeing friends and family.

• Over a third (38%) of Americans report visiting friends or relatives in the last week, up 6 percentage points from last week, and almost twenty from the high point of social distancing in mid-April. Likewise, nearly a third (31%) of parents report their kids playing with other kids in the last week.
• While also climbing, many fewer Americans report going out to eat (12%) or going to a salon (7%) in the last week.
• Sixty-four percent of Americans currently view seeing family or friends as a large or moderate risk to their health, down from 81% in mid-April. Currently, 74% view dining in at a restaurant and 66% view going to a salon as a large or moderate risk.  

3. Memorial Day is going to be a questionable start to the Summer holiday season.

• Half of Americans (49%) say they have canceled summer vacation plans.
• Seventy-five percent view taking a vacation as a large or moderate risk to their health while 84% view attending a sporting event as a large or moderate risk.

4. Trust in the federal government continues to decline as state governments hold steady.

• Slightly more than a third (37%) of Americans currently say they trust the federal government to look out after the best interests of their family, down from 43% in late April.
• Almost two-thirds (61%) currently trust their state governments, a figure that has held steady since late April.
• Employers (78%) and local health officials and healthcare workers (84%) remain the most trusted.

Washington, DC, May 12, 2020

The ninth week of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds social distancing continues to decline as fewer people see visiting friends and family as a major risk. However, about one in eight report knowing someone in their community who tested positive and over three-quarters report wearing a mask when leaving the home.

Detailed findings:

1. Social distancing continues to decline as states begin to reopen and people tire of the quarantines.

• 32% of Americans report visiting friends or relatives in the last week, up from 26% last week and 19% in mid-April.
• Additionally, the number who report ‘self-quarantining’ is down to 36% from a high of 55% in early April.

2. While still a significant concern, fewer Americans are seeing coronavirus as a major risk.

• Two-thirds (64%) of Americans say returning to their pre-coronavirus lives right now would be a large or moderate risk to their health and well-being, down from 72% in mid-April.
• Fewer Americans are also seeing in-person gatherings (81%->68%), going to the grocery store (70%->54%), or doing their job (39%->33%) as a large or moderate risk compared to mid-April.  

3. Most Americans say they are following guidelines when leaving the home, but see others not giving social distancing space.

• Most (60%) of Americans say they are maintaining a distance of at least 6ft from others outside their homes and half (50%) report wearing a mask all of the time.
• However, only about one in five report seeing others wearing masks (18%) or maintaining social distance (17%) all of the time.

4. Few Americans are likely to opt-in to cell phone-based contact tracing systems at this time.

• Only about a third of Americans say they are likely to opt-in to cell phone based contact tracing systems established by the federal government (31%), major tech companies (33%), or cell phone companies (35%).
• A bare majority (51%) would join a CDC sponsored cell phone-based system.

5. Americans still think going back to work — and getting there — is risky.

• A majority (58%) of people who are working from home, have returned to work, had their business shut down, are furloughed, or laid off think going back to work is a moderate or large risk.
• Using ride-sharing or taxis is seen as risky for three quarters (75%) of Americans.

Washington, DC, May 5, 2020

The eighth week of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds Americans reporting increased visits with friends and family as longing for company frays social distancing. Additionally, declining trust in state governments is observed in the early-reopening states of Florida, Georgia, and Texas.

Detailed findings:

1. Over a quarter of Americans report visiting friends and family in the past week, up from mid-April.

2. American working conditions are largely unchanged with significant parts of the population still working from home or out of work.

3. The number of Americans reporting receiving stimulus money increased, however, much of it still seems to not be going back into the economy.

4. Trust in state governments to take care of people is trending down, driven most strongly by residents of states pushing to re-open.

Washington, DC, April 28, 2020

The seventh week of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds America adapting to the quarantine equilibrium, even as partisanship and some slippage of social distancing start to appear. Additionally, over a quarter of Americans now know someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus while about 1 in 8 know someone who has died.

Detailed findings:

1. Americans are acclimating as fewer report negative impacts on their mental health, emotional well-being, stress, and ability to do their jobs. Additionally, fewer people report shortages or inability to find staple items.

• Twenty-eight percent of Americans report worsening mental health, down from 34% in early April. Likewise, 34% report worsening emotional well-being, down from 41%.
• A third report their ability to do their job has gotten worse, down from 47% in early April.
• Forty-six percent report that their ability to access food and household needs has gotten worse, down from 66% in late March.

2. Concern about the pandemic and trust in the federal and state government responses continue to be strongly tied to partisanship.

• Republicans, particularly Republicans who get most of their news from Fox News, are more likely to trust the federal government (66%) and less likely to think that returning to their pre-coronavirus lives tomorrow is a major risk (58%).
• Democrats widely distrust the federal government (28%), trust governors (71%), and believe returning to normal right now is a big risk (84%).

3. Much of the stimulus money does not appear to be going directly back into local economies.

• Only half of Americans (49%) report receiving government stimulus money, unchanged from last week.
• Among those who have, a third (38%) report putting it into savings with an additional 18% reporting not spending it yet.
• A quarter (25%) report using the stimulus money to pay for food and household needs and 14% report using it to pay rent or mortgage.

4. The number of Americans reporting visiting friends and relatives is up for the first time since the pandemic began, suggesting some fraying to social distancing.

• This week 24% of Americans report visiting friends and family in the last week, up from 19% last week. This increase is seen across most demographic groups.

Washington, DC, April 21, 2020

The sixth week of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that Republicans are increasingly likely to minimize the risk of the coronavirus pandemic while Democratic trust of the federal government response continues to erode. Both sides continue to hold state governments and health professionals in high regard.  

Detailed findings:

1. Republicans, who had increased in levels of concern about the coronavirus pandemic over the last few weeks, have reversed course as the President and Republican governors have shifted towards a focus on ending social distancing.

• This week, 49% of Republicans are extremely or very concerned about the coronavirus outbreak, down from 56% last week.
• This is while 80% of Democrats remain concerned.   

2. Over two-thirds of Americans think going back to their pre-coronavirus lives right now would be a moderate or large risk to their health.

• Partisanship appears to have a stronger connection to perceptions of risk than many other demographic factors.
• Only 21% of Republicans view going back to their normal lives to be a ‘large’ risk compared to 52% of Democrats.

3. Most measures of personal or professional impact of the pandemic are stable from last week.

• Physical and mental health impacts are roughly equal to where they were seen last week with about 1/3 reporting worsened mental or emotional well being and 1/6 reporting worsened physical health.
• Two in five employed Americans continue to work from home while over 1 in 4 have been furloughed, laid off, or had their employers close, again consistent with last week.

4. Almost half of Americans report receiving government stimulus money.

• Forty-nine percent of Americans report receiving stimulus money from the government in the past few weeks. Americans between the ages of 30 and 64, Midwestern, have some college education, and suburban and rural are more likely to report receiving the government aid.

Washington, DC, April 14, 2020 

The fifth week of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds while the country continues to maintain the uneasy quarantine equilibrium, Americans still working out in the world feel more at risk. At the same time, the number of Americans who know someone infected continues to climb. 

Detailed findings:

1. Over half of Americans still working outside of the home feel that doing their jobs puts their health and wellness at risk right now compared to a small minority of those working from home.

• This week, 57% of Americans still working out in the world report that they feel doing their job is a moderate or large risk to their health. Of those working from home only 13% say the same.
• However, those working in the world are also less likely to report using a mask (44%) compared to the average of all Americans 56%.
• Additionally, those furloughed, laid off, or whose employers closed are more likely to report increasing household debt over the last month (34%).

2. About one in five Americans now know someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. The greatest concentration of people with coronavirus in their personal network remains the Northeast region including New York, but the South has posted the greatest rate of increase over the last week.

• Nineteen percent of Americans report knowing someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, up from 14% last week and 10% two weeks ago.
• Thirty-one percent of people in the Northeast report knowing someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, while 18% of people in the South report knowing someone.

3. In what could be viewed as positive news, the outbreak appears to have increased the amount of quality leisure time for many Americans.

• Two in five Americans (43%) report spending more time talking with their family compared to a month ago. A similar level (41%) report spending more time on home improvement or craft projects.
• Over half (53%) report watching more television in the last month.
• However, one in eight (16%) say the amount or intensity of disagreements with family or friends have increased in the last month. This is particularly acute among those who have been furloughed or laid off (26%).

Washington, DC, April 7, 2020

The fourth week of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds a country taking its breath after profound changes to the shape of society. Social distancing and work statistics appear to have stabilized as the outbreak continues to progress. 

Detailed findings:

1. The number of Americans reporting that they are self-quarantining or working remotely is mostly unchanged from last week as the nation pauses after the pronounced changes in late March.

• This week, 55% of Americans say they are self-quarantining (up from 53% last week) while 45% report working remotely (up from 42% last week).
• The number of Americans reporting being furloughed (19%), their employer shutting down (17%), or being laid off (11%) are also mostly unchanged from last week.

2. About one in eight Americans now know someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. The greatest concentration of people with coronavirus in their personal network is in the Northeast region including New York, but the South has posted the greatest rate of increase over the last week.

• Fourteen percent of Americans report knowing someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, up from 10% last week.
• Twenty-three percent of people in the Northeast report knowing someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, up 3 percentage points from last week (20%) while 13% of people in the South report knowing someone, almost double the number from last week (7%).
• Additionally, Americans who are continuing to work in their normal workplace context report the greatest increase in proximity (18% up from 10% last week).

3. Anxiety levels around the coronavirus continue to climb as people adjust to the new circumstances. However, relatively few report acute financial challenges for the moment.

• Forty-seven percent of working adults report that their ability to effectively do their jobs has gotten worse over the past few weeks.
• About 1 in 5 (19%) say their ability to pay rent or their mortgage has worsened over the last few weeks and a quarter (26%) say their ability to afford household goods has worsened.

Washington, DC, April 1, 2020

The third week of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that over half of Americans are self-quarantining and concern about the pandemic continues to increase as people adjust to the new normal.  

Detailed findings:

1. Over half of Americans, or about 175 million people, say they are self-quarantining as in-person social contact continues to dwindle.

• This week 53% of Americans tell us they are self-quarantining, up from 39% last week and 10% two weeks ago.
• In-person social contact continues to decline with only 13% reporting ‘going out to eat’ (down from 25% last week and 56% two weeks ago) or 23% visiting friends or relatives (down from 32% and 48% two weeks ago).

2. The sudden shift to the American workforce appears to be, at the moment, stabilized.

• From last week, roughly equivalent numbers reporting being told to work from home (42% vs 40% last week), their employer shutting down (16% vs 18% last week), or being furloughed (20% vs 22% last week).
• 9% of (formerly) employed respondents report being laid off.
• Likewise, the number who report their employers shutting down has almost doubled (to 16% from 10%) as has the number being furloughed or otherwise told not to work (to 20% from 10%).

3. Americans appear to be adapting to the new normal of the coronavirus pandemic with stability on mental health and work efficiency measures.

• Slightly fewer Americans report worsening mental health compared to last week (30% worse vs 35% last week) and emotional well-being (37% from 43% last week), while worsening physical health has remained stable (at 14%).
• Among working adults, about the same number report worsened ability to do their jobs compared to last week (43% vs 44%).
• The worst of supply chain shocks appear to be last week as the number attempting, but failing to buy basic foods (at 18% from 23% last week) or toilet paper (at 34% from 37% last week) has stabilized.

Washington, DC, March 24, 2020

The second week of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds that the number of Americans self-quarantining and working remotely have spiked in just one week, as anxiety around the outbreak increases.  

Detailed findings:

1. Over the last week, Americans have sharply increased their social distancing practices.

• The number of Americans who say they are self-quarantining has almost quadrupled, up to 39% this week (fielded March 20-23) versus only 10% this time last week (March 13-16).
• Many more have also stopped attending large gatherings (74% now, from 46%) or canceled travel (48% now, from 30%).
• Americans also report reducing social contact such as going out to eat (down to 25% from 56% last week) or visiting friends (down to 32% from 48%).

2. Likewise, the in-person workforce is rapidly shrinking as Americans either move to work from home or not working

• Among working Americans, the number who report being told to work from home has doubled, up to 40% from 21% last week.
• Likewise, the number who report their employers shutting down has almost doubled (to 18% from 10%) as has the number being furloughed or otherwise told not to work (to 22% from 10%).

3. Though the widespread effects on public health remain to be felt, the outbreak has already started to impact emotional and mental health.

• Virtually all (90%) Americans are concerned about the coronavirus outbreak, including 59% who are very concerned.
• Sharply increased numbers of Americans report worsening mental health (35% worse vs 22% last week) and emotional well-being (43% from 29%), while physical health has posted less significant changes (to 14% from 8%).

Washington, DC, March 17, 2020

The inaugural Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index – a weekly tracking survey fielded on the Ipsos KnowledgePanel – finds that while Americans are highly concerned about the COVID-19 outbreak, many are slow to shift behaviors that may contribute to the virus’s spread.

This survey, fielded March 13-16, 2020, as the American public started to come to grips with the severity of COVID-19, finds that while 79% are concerned about the outbreak, 56% went out to eat and 48% visited friends in the last week.

However, there are signs that the public is responding to expert guidance to create ‘social distance.’ Nearly half (46%) report skipping large gatherings, 64% say they have stopped shaking hands, and 93% are washing their hands for the recommended 20 seconds. Additionally, 10% of the public say they are ‘self-quarantining’ and avoiding contact with others.

The findings of this study are more stark on the professional front, with 21% of working respondents reporting that they have been told to work remotely and 10% saying their employers have shut down completely.

About the Study

This Wave 1 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted March 13th to 16th, 2020 by Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,092 general population adults age 18 or older. *Wave 1 was conducted in English only.

This Wave 2 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted March 20th to 23rd, 2020 by Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 998 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 3 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted March 27th to 30th, 2020 by Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,355 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 4 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted April 3rd to 6th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,136 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 5 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted April 10th to 13th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,098 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 6 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted April 17th to 20th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,021 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 7 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted April 24th to 27th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,021 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 8 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted May 1st to 4th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,012 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 9 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted May 8th to 11th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 980 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 10 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted May 15th to 18th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,009 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 11 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted May 29th to June 1st, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,033 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 12 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted June 5th to June 8th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,006 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 13 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted June 12th to June 15th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,022 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 14 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted June 19th to June 22nd, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,023 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 15 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted June 26th to June 29th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,065 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 16 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted July 10th to July 13th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,063 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 17 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted July 17th to July 20th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,037 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 18 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted July 24th to July 27th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,076 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 19 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted July 31st to August 3rd, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,129 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 20 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted August 7th to August 10th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,076 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 21 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted August 14th to August 17th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,141 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 22 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted August 21st to August 24th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,084 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 23 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted August 28th to August 31st, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,100 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 24 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted September 11th to September 14th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,019 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 25 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted September 18th to September 21st, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,008 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 26 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted September 24th to September 27th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,075 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 27 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted October 1st to October 5th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,004 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 28 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted October 16th to October 19th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,001 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 29 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted October 23rd to October 26th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,079 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 30 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted November 13th to November 16th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,092 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 31 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted November 20th to November 23rd, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,002 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 32 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted December 4th to December 7th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,101 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 33 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted December 11th to December 14th, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,009 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 34 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted December 18th to December 21st, 2020 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,003 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 35 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted January 8th to January 11th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,038 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 36 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted January 22nd to January 25th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,112 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 37 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted January 29th to February 1, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,038 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 38 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted February 5th to February 8th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,030 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 39 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted February 19th to February 22th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,029 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 40 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted February 26th to March 1st, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,088 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 41 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted March 5th to March 8th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,001 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 42 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted March 19th to March 22nd, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 995 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 43 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted April 2nd to April 5th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 979 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 44 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted April 16th to April 19th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,033 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 45 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted May 7th to May 10th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,078 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 46 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted May 21st to May 24th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,102 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 47 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted June 4th to June 7th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,027 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 48 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted June 25th to June 28th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,016 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 49 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted July 16th to June 19th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,048 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 50 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted July 30th to August 2nd, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 999 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 51 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted August 13th to August 16th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,041 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 52 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted August 27th to August 30th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,071 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 53 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted September 10th to September 13th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,065 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 54 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted September 24th to September 27th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,105 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 55 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted October 8th to October 11th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,015 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 56 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted October 22nd to October 25th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,038 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 57 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted November 5th to November 8th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,033 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 58 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted November 19th to November 22nd, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,023 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 59 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted December 10th to December 13th, 2021 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 993 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 60 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted January 7th to January 10th, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,054 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 61 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted January 21th to January 24th, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,085 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 62 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted February 4 – February 7,2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,049 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 63 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted February 25 – February 28,2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  – a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,030 general population adults age 18 or older.

This Wave 64 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted March 11 to March 14, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  - a division of Ipsos.  This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 957 adults age 18 or older

This Wave 65 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted April 8 to April 11, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  - a division of Ipsos.  This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1043 adults age 18 or older

This Wave 66 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted May 13 to May 16, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  - a division of Ipsos.  This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 982 adults age 18 or older

This Wave 67 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted June 10 to June 13, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  - a division of Ipsos.  This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1079 adults age 18 or older

This Wave 68 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted July 15 to July 18, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  - a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1155 adults age 18 or older

This Wave 69 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted August 12 to August 15, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  - a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1047 adults age 18 or older

This Wave 70 Axios/Ipsos Poll was conducted September 9 to 12, 2022 by Ipsos KnowledgePanel®  - a division of Ipsos. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1158 adults age 18 or older

The survey was conducted using the web-enabled KnowledgePanel®, the largest and most well-established online panel that is representative of the adult US population. Our recruitment process employs a scientifically developed addressed-based sampling methodology using the latest Delivery Sequence File of the USPS – a database with full coverage of all delivery points in the US. Households are randomly selected from all available households in the U.S. Persons in these households are invited to join and participate in KnowledgePanel. Ipsos provides a tablet and internet connection at no cost to households that do not already have internet access. Those who join the panel and who are selected to participate in a survey are sent a unique password-protected log-in used to complete surveys online. As a result of our recruitment and sampling methods, samples from KnowledgePanel cover all households regardless of their phone or internet status and provide fully representative online samples to the research community.

The study was conducted in English and Spanish*. The data were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race/ethnicity, education, Census region, metropolitan status, household income and party identification. The demographic benchmarks came from the 2021 March supplement of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS). Party ID benchmarks are from recent ABC News/Washington Post telephone polls. The weighting categories were as follows:

• Gender (Male/Female) by Age (18–29, 30–44, 45–59, and 60+)
• Race/Hispanic Ethnicity (White/Non-Hispanic, Black/Non-Hispanic, Other or 2+ Races/Non-Hispanic, Hispanic)
• Education (Less than High School, High School graduate, Some College, Bachelor and beyond)
• Census Region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West)
• Metropolitan status (Metro, non-Metro)
• Household Income (Under $25,000, $25,000-$49,999, $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999, $100,000-$149,999, $150,000+)
• Party ID (Democrat, Republican, Independent, Something else)

The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.0 - 3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults. The margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.07 - 1.26. The margin of sampling error is higher and varies for results based on sub-samples. In our reporting of the findings, percentage points are rounded off to the nearest whole number. As a result, percentages in a given table column may total slightly higher or lower than 100%. In questions that permit multiple responses, columns may total substantially more than 100%, depending on the number of different responses offered by each respondent.

*Note: Wave 1 was conducted in English only.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is the world’s third largest Insights and Analytics company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).

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