Americans’ perceived risk of Covid-19 is lower at any time since October, poll finds

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Sixty-six percent said they believe returning to pre-pandemic life is now moderate risk or high risk. The survey was conducted February 5-8 and based on a nationally representative sample of 1,030 people aged 18 and over.

The groups least likely to view Covid-19 as a risk were people aged 18 to 29 (58%) and Republicans (49%), according to the poll. Meanwhile, 76% of those who have been vaccinated still consider the coronavirus to be a high risk.

“Some groups find they are invincible and think they won’t get as sick as others,” said Dr. Leana Wen, CNN medical analyst, emergency physician and visiting professor of politics and management. health at the Milken Institute at George Washington University. School of Public Health.

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“Additionally, we have seen Covid-19 become so politicized, and public health measures have become categorized into partisan ideology rather than understood as the scientific reasons why they must exist.”

Many Americans don’t know which activities are safe, according to the poll: 28% of respondents say they attend gatherings with family or friends; 22% say they will wait until those around them are vaccinated; 24% said they will wait for officials to say it’s safe; and 24% don’t know. Reuniting virtually or only with people you live with is safest, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

Only 10% of Democrats and 15% of people over 65 have ever attended in-person meetings, compared to 42% of Republicans. People over 65 (29%) and those with a college education are more likely to wait for the vaccine (34%).

At the Marisol Bakery and Cafe in Pennsylvania, a sign asks people to distance themselves socially on October 6, 2020. Some Americans see returning to life as normal now a moderate-level risk, according to a new poll.

The survey results come at a time when confidence in the media and sources of information about the pandemic is waning. Confidence in cable news has fallen since April, from 50% to 38%. Online news won the trust of 36% of respondents and network news 47%.

The poll found that 68% of Americans trust the CDC to provide accurate information on Covid-19, while 51% of Republicans do. Fifty-three percent of Americans continue to trust what President Joe Biden says.

Why some people misinterpret the risks of a pandemic

Factors contributing to a misperception of risk during the pandemic could include conflicting directions, mistaken trust and confidence, pandemic fatigue, and mistrust of information sources.
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What the poll “shows me is that people don’t understand where we are in the pandemic, for good reason,” Wen said.

“On the one hand, we have reduced the number of hospitalizations and new infections. But on the other hand, it remains at a very high infection level. And we have these more contagious variants on the way. The restrictions are lifted in many cases. parts of the country, ”Wen said. “I could see why people think the worst may be over and some of the activities that are actually not safe are resuming.”
Also, some people may think that the introduction of vaccines means we can get back to normal much sooner than possible. For those respondents who have already reunited with family and friends, some people may be safe going to stores, but tempted to visit loved ones if they already trust and trust them. consider it less risky than foreigners – but the coronavirus does not. discriminate in whom it infects.

“People don’t understand that the risk is actually, for a lot of people, greater with loved ones than with strangers’ because we spend more time with loved ones,” Wen said. coronavirus. Because of asymptomatic transmission, we don’t know who has the virus and who doesn’t. ”

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After plateaus after surges in previous cases, Wen added, cases rose again as people let their guard down. Watching or reading news sources that view the pandemic as a hoax can develop inaccurate perceptions, she said.

What anyone can face, no matter what they believe in, is pandemic fatigue. “We are tired of making decisions during uncertainty and some of us will ignore the warnings to resume our routines,” said Jacqueline Gollan, who has two professors at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine: one in psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and another in obstetrics. in gynecology. “We prefer the pleasure now and risk the pain later.”

How to properly assess the risk

Regardless of why you think the risk of coronavirus infection is low, understanding two concepts can help you re-evaluate the risks and act on them.

“One is the concept of harm reduction, knowing that everything we do has some risk, but there are things we can do to reduce that risk,” Wen said. “Mask, avoid indoor gatherings, keep physical distance – they’re additive. The more we do of these steps, the more protected we are.”

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Second, she added, the cumulative risk also adds up. “Just because you engage in one relatively higher risk activity doesn’t mean you should engage in others,” she said.

For example, going back to work shouldn’t mean you allow yourself to attend birthday parties as well. And if your kids are back to school, they don’t need to attend any extracurricular activities. Base your decisions on what’s essential, safe, and valuable to you – in that order.

Instead of getting together with people you don’t live with, stay in virtual hangouts if possible. If you’ve freely enjoyed a social life but luckily weren’t infected with coronavirus, know that those times don’t mean you’ll continue to be lucky, Wen said.

Be careful when you develop a mindset that you are reluctant to change. “We pay more attention to information that matches the mental model, we pay less attention to information that contradicts it, and we distort information to fit it,” Gollan said. “If we think it’s unsafe, we’ll keep trying to assume that the activities are not safe.”

If you’re not sure if you can trust a news source, just asking yourself this question is a good place to start, Wen said. Local health departments, the CDC, hospitals such as the Cleveland Clinic or Johns Hopkins Hospital, and reputable news organizations are some credible sources. “Make sure the science of health supports what you read, hear or believe,” Gollan said, as well as what you want to do.

Pandemic fatigue is your brain’s natural response to a new and difficult situation. To restore your motivation to follow safety precautions and develop habits, set up virtual cues, such as placing your mask on a table near the door to remind you to grab it before you leave the house. Ask others what helped them stay safe. Engaging in stress relief activities can make safety habits less intimidating.

Remember, we haven’t gotten past the worst, Wen said. “If the variants (which are more contagious) are to become dominant here, we could be in the type of disasters that many countries in Europe and South Africa have experienced.”

Look for sources of inspiration for you to practice safe habits, like viewing rewards for your choices. These rewards could include your health, the health of your family, or the well-being of society.

Think about what you want to do when the world is safe again. Because that moment is approaching, Wen said, and it’s worth the wait to get there.

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