Vaccines

Just 20% of the public views the coronavirus as a major threat to the health of the U.S. population and only 10% are very concerned about getting a serious case themselves. In addition, a relatively small share of U.S. adults (28%) say they've received an updated COVID-19 vaccine since last fall.

About nine-in-ten (88%) Americans say, overall, the benefits of childhood vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella outweigh the risks, identical to the share who said this before the coronavirus outbreak. U.S. adults are less confident in COVID-19 vaccines: Fewer than half rate them as having high health benefits and a low risk of side effects.

Overall, 46% of Americans say the statement “public health officials were unprepared for the outbreak” describes their views extremely or very well, including similar shares of Republicans and Democrats.

Online dating users who are Democrats are far more likely their Republican counterparts to say someone’s vaccination status is important for them to see.

Men who describe themselves as gay or bisexual are more likely to say they have received or intend to get a monkeypox vaccine.

Here’s what Americans said they learned about the development of vaccines and medical treatments and their advice for handling a future outbreak.

A median of 68% across 19 countries think their country has done a good job dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, with majorities saying this in every country surveyed except Japan. However, most also believe the pandemic has created greater divisions in their societies and exposed weaknesses in their political systems – and these view are especially common in the U.S.

Americans offer a lackluster evaluation of how the country has balanced priorities during the coronavirus outbreak. Fewer than half say the country has given the right amount of priority to the needs of K-12 students, public health or quality of life.

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

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