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.
More than two-thirds of adults ages 65 or older said they were following news of the pandemic very closely.
The percentage who say journalists have exaggerated the risks of the outbreak has decreased notably in recent weeks.
A new analysis of open-ended responses to a survey of U.S. adults looks at the specific storylines or claims about COVID-19 that Americans said they were exposed to.
Responses to cable news coverage and the pandemic vary notably among Americans who identify Fox News, MSNBC or CNN as their main source of political news.
Black adults were much more likely than whites and somewhat more likely than Hispanic adults to frequently discuss the pandemic with others.
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