Americans Are More Worried About Omicron Variant Than Delta, Poll Finds
Topline
A broad majority of U.S. adults are involved in regards to the lately recognized omicron variant of the coronavirus and concern it’ll carry a brand new surge in Covid-19 circumstances, a brand new Harris ballot finds, surpassing individuals’s fears in regards to the delta variant over the summer time—even earlier than the variant has been formally detected within the U.S. and as a lot about it stays unknown.
Individuals wait in line at a walk-up vaccination web site in Washington, DC, on November 29.
AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Key Info
The ballot, performed November 24-28 amongst 1,585 U.S. adults, discovered 64% have heard “loads” or “slightly” in regards to the omicron variant, which was first detected in southern Africa final week.
Of these conscious of the variant, 78% are very or considerably involved it’ll “evade current Covid-19 vaccines”—one thing specialists have raised considerations about, given its excessive variety of mutations, however has not but been confirmed.
An extra 87% imagine it is extremely or considerably doubtless the variant will lead to new restrictions and a surge in home Covid-19 circumstances.
That’s a extra pessimistic outlook than Individuals had in regards to the extremely transmissible delta variant over the summer time: A Harris poll performed July 9/11 discovered 72% of respondents have been very or considerably involved in regards to the pressure and 51% of vaccinated respondents questioned the vaccines’ efficacy in mild of the variant.
Concern in regards to the omicron variant cuts throughout all demographics—with even 85% of Republicans and 78% of the unvaccinated believing circumstances will go up—although Gen Z is probably the most optimistic, with solely 61% believing the variant will spur extra circumstances and restrictions.
Individuals of colour are probably the most involved about omicron, with 96% of Asian or Pacific Islander respondents, 85% of Black respondents and 91% of girls of colour expressing concern about vaccines’ efficacy in opposition to it and 93%, 94% and 94% of these demographics, respectively, believing the variant will trigger circumstances to rise.
Shocking Reality
The unvaccinated are unsurprisingly the least involved the omicron variant will evade vaccines’ safety, however the Harris ballot discovered even 61% of unvaccinated respondents and 51% of those that refuse the vaccine are a minimum of considerably involved.
Contra
President Joe Biden has urged Individuals to remain calm, saying in an address Monday the brand new pressure is “a trigger for concern, not a trigger for panic.” “We’ll combat this variant with scientific and educated actions, and pace — not chaos and confusion,” Biden mentioned. “And we now have extra instruments at present to combat the variant than we’ve ever had earlier than — from vaccines to boosters, to vaccines for kids 5 years and older, and far more.”
Tangent
A separate Morning Seek the advice of poll performed November 29-30 discovered a majority of respondents backed a broad number of measures to fight the omicron variant, together with improved air flow programs (81% help), social distancing (79%), worldwide journey restrictions (78%), supporting efforts to vaccinate low-income international locations (76%) and necessary masks utilization (72%), although solely 44% help closing companies or authorities amenities. The ballot additionally discovered a 40% plurality imagine individuals have “the correct quantity of concern” in terms of the brand new variant, and that the variant may persuade the unvaccinated to get the shot, with 30% of unvaccinated adults saying they’d take into account getting inoculated on account of omicron.
Key Background
Since being first recognized in Africa final week, the omicron variant has now been identified in quite a few international locations all over the world, together with Canada, the UK, Belgium, Botswana, South Africa, Japan, Australia, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal and Germany. The variant has not but been formally detected within the U.S., although public well being specialists akin to Dr. Anthony Fauci have said it’s “inevitable” it’ll unfold within the U.S. as properly. The World Well being Group has recognized omicron as a “variant of concern” given its potential transmissibility and evasion of vaccines, however little is but recognized in regards to the variant and public well being specialists have cautioned extra information is required to make any conclusions in regards to the new pressure. Nonetheless, the variant has sparked panic, inflicting inventory markets to plunge worldwide on Friday and the U.S. and different international locations to impose new journey restrictions.
What To Watch For
Extra data on the severity of the omicron variant ought to be recognized hopefully by subsequent week or so, Fauci mentioned on Monday in an interview with Good Morning America, and the effectiveness of the vaccines in opposition to the brand new pressure is now being examined, with outcomes expected in a minimum of two weeks. Although vaccine producers like Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have said they’re working to replace their photographs to guard in opposition to omicron if the information exhibits their effectiveness is diminished, Fauci mentioned Monday individuals mustn’t watch for these up to date photographs—which might be months away, a minimum of—and will get a booster shot instantly to guard themselves. Biden has to this point mentioned he is not going to impose extra restrictions like lockdown measures, saying Monday there’s “no want” for harsh restrictions “if individuals are vaccinated and sporting a masks.”
Additional Studying
Journey Restrictions, Shares Down: Right here’s What To Know About Omicron, The New Extremely Mutated Covid Variant (Forbes)
No New Federal Covid Restrictions Due To Omicron Variant, Biden Says — At Least ‘For Now’ (Forbes)
Strong Majority of Adults Back Variety of Public Health Measures in Light of Omicron Variant, Including Travel Restrictions (Morning Seek the advice of)
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