Attention to COVID-19 news increased slightly amid omicron surge; partisans differ in views about the outbreak
37% of U.S. adults say they are following news about the coronavirus outbreak very closely. That is up from 31% in March 2021.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
37% of U.S. adults say they are following news about the coronavirus outbreak very closely. That is up from 31% in March 2021.
Looking at respondents to 2020 and 2021 surveys reveals differences in vaccination rates based on where people turned most for COVID-19 news.
The pandemic and its effects on society became a pervasive part of the media narrative about Joe Biden’s first 60 days in office.
The biggest takeaway may be the extent to which the decidedly nonpartisan virus met with an increasingly partisan response.
A third of U.S. adults say they changed their Thanksgiving plans “a great deal,” while roughly a quarter changed their plans “some.”
Some 61% of U.S. adults say they follow COVID-19 news at both the national and local level equally, and 23% say they pay more attention to local news.
Americans’ confidence in checking COVID-19 information aligns closely with their confidence in checking the accuracy of news stories broadly.
Most Americans (71%) have heard of a conspiracy theory that alleges that powerful people intentionally planned the coronavirus outbreak.
Black adults were much more likely than whites and somewhat more likely than Hispanic adults to frequently discuss the pandemic with others.
Those ages 18 to 29 differ from older Americans in their news consumption habits and in their responses to major news events and coverage.
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