Cliff’s Take: Lurching Towards Normalization
We are about done with spring—the circadian rhythm of the seasons goes on, COVID or no COVID. Many families are finishing up school. People are out and in shorts and short sleeves. Summer is just about here.
And we can finally enjoy it. Around 66% of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to our Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. COVID is on the downswing.
However, let’s not forget that vaccinations are reaching a saturation point. Most adults who want a vaccine have received one by now. We are still far from herd immunity in the US and even farther globally.
Vaccine hesitancy aside, we are lurching towards some semblance of normality, slowly but surely. But after our COVID trauma, how are the chips going to fall?
Some want to still wear masks; others can’t wait to get rid of them. Some want to go back to the office; others dread it. These are just some of the tensions that will have to be resolved at some point in our post-COVID future.
In the meantime, I wonder. How long will this limbo last—not quite COVID but not quite post-COVID?
Below, I detail the most relevant data points of the week.
- COVID's end? Are we yet outside the reach of the pandemic’s social control? Just about. Most people are getting out and seeing friends and family; relatively few are still social distancing. Look at the data! But we can’t overlook the pace of vaccinations, which is stalling. Two steps forward and one step back.
- Parental consent. Another hurdle on our path towards a post-COVID world. Though the vaccine is available now for children age 12 and up, parents are still split about getting their children vaccinated. That said, we are still in the early stages here. Let’s see if parental hesitancy abates.
- Alternative facts. Some confirmation bias going around vaccinations. One in three vaccine hesitants thinks that less than half of the adult population has gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. But the CDC puts it at 64% of adults and 52% of the total population (kids included). Alternative realities—a persistent feature of everyday American life.
- Split reality. Facts are in the eye of the beholder, whether they apply to progress on vaccinations or the 2020 election. Democrats think the election was on the level; Biden won. But according to Republicans, the election was rigged. From both perspectives, a big lie is still circulating. Will vaccine misinformation be as long-lasting? Probably.
- Youth drain. Back to our post-COVID limbo. Around one in ten Americans says they packed up and moved during the pandemic. They tend to be younger, Democrats, remote workers and worried about COVID. Is that remote lifestyle here to stay? Not sure. We will see.
Lots of possibilities in the air these days. On a lighter note, my Cubbies are tied for first place in the NL Central; let’s see how long that lasts. I think I might catch a game or two this year.
As always, be safe, be sane.
For more information, please contact:
Clifford Young
President, U.S.
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2016
[email protected]
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