Many Americans say they have shifted their priorities around health and social activities during COVID-19

To gain insight into how Americans view the impact of COVID-19 in their lives, a recent Pew Research Center survey asked respondents to describe – in their own words – what rose and fell in importance to them during the pandemic. Many Americans, 26% of those who responded, say keeping healthy became more important to them during the COVID-19 outbreak, whether that involved following public health precautions or putting more emphasis on a healthy lifestyle. And many respondents, 21%, talked about their renewed appreciation for social activities, but 35% said socializing and going out had decreased in priority for them.