Health Policy

Most U.S. adults do not believe that requests for religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine are sincere.

A Pew Research Center analysis of official reports of COVID-19-related deaths across the country shows how the dynamics of the pandemic have shifted over the past two years.

Americans in 2022 find themselves in an environment that is at once greatly improved and frustratingly familiar.

Dealing with coronavirus has declined as a policy priority, especially among Republicans. This marks a shift from last year, when the economy and the coronavirus both topped the public’s policy agenda.

Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.

Americans are increasingly critical of the response to COVID-19 from elected officeholders and public health officials. Positive ratings of public health officials, such as those at the CDC, have fallen 10 points since August. And 60% of U.S. adults say they’ve felt confused as a result of changes to recommendations on how to slow the spread of COVID-19.

53% of parents of K-12 students say schools in the United States should be providing a mix of in-person and online instruction this winter.

37% of U.S. adults say they are following news about the coronavirus outbreak very closely. That is up from 31% in March 2021.

Americans’ views of the economy remain negative; most say prices have gotten worse while job availability has improved.

Most Latino immigrants say they would come to the U.S. again.