Global Courant
According to Gallup’s latest quarterly poll, people are increasingly concerned about COVID-19 due to the recent increase in cases and new variants.
Gallup surveyed more than 5,000 American adults between August 29 and September 5.
Thirty percent of respondents said they think the pandemic is getting worse — up from 5% in late May/early June and 8% in February, according to a news release on Gallup’s website.
FREE COVID TESTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AGAIN FROM THE US GOVERNMENT FROM NEXT WEEK
While Gallup noted that this is the “highest pessimism” since July 2022, it is much more positive than 2020, when up to 73% of Americans said the pandemic was getting worse.
Despite the increase in concerned Americans, the majority (41%) say they believe the COVID situation is improving.
Another 30% said it will stay the same, Gallup noted.
According to Gallup’s latest quarterly poll, people are increasingly concerned about COVID-19 due to the recent increase in cases and new variants. (iStock)
About 25% of people in the US said they are at least ‘somewhat’ concerned about catching COVID, up from 18% in May/June.
Thirty-six percent are “not too concerned” and 37% are “not at all concerned,” the poll found.
Thirty percent of respondents said they think the pandemic is worsening, up from 5% in late May/early June and 8% in February.
Despite the increase, that is still less than half the number of people who were concerned in 2020, when 59% were concerned.
Overall, the majority of Americans (53%) still believe the pandemic is over, although this is down from 64% in May/June.
The prospects vary by political party
Political parties are more likely to say the COVID situation is worsening — but “Democrats have become particularly negative about the trajectory,” according to Gallup’s press release.
Just over half of respondents, or 55%, say they never wear a mask, while 45% say they still wear one at least occasionally. (iStock)
The share of Democrats who believe the situation has worsened has risen from 6% in May/June to 44% in September.
Among Republicans, only 16% believe the situation has worsened.
“Meanwhile, the smaller changes we saw this quarter in Americans’ concern about catching the coronavirus and belief that the pandemic is over can be attributed mainly to Democrats,” the Gallup release said.
FAUCI’S MASK MESSAGE AGAINST RISING COVID CASES LEAVES DOCTORS SOUNDING: ‘WILL NOT REDUCE THE SPREAD’
Democrats’ concern about getting COVID rose from 26% to 41%; Yet this fear among Republicans and independents has not increased compared to the last poll.
While 51% of Democrats thought the pandemic was over last quarter, only 35% feel that way now.
While 51% of Democrats thought the pandemic was over last quarter, only 35% feel that way now, a new Gallup poll shows. (iStock)
Meanwhile, 77% of Republicans and 57% of independents believe it’s over.
Most people still don’t wear masks, polls show
The poll also asked American adults about their stance on masking.
Just over half of respondents, or 55%, say they never wear a face mask, while 45% still wear one at least occasionally.
FACE MASKS MAKE ‘LITTLE TO NO DIFFERENCE’ IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF COVID, SCIENTIFIC REVIEW FINDS
Of the 45%, only 6% always or very often wear one, 11% say they do so sometimes and 28% say they only rarely wear one.
Democrats are currently much more likely to wear a mask — 25% of Democrats who responded to the survey wear one at least occasionally, compared to 15% of independents and just 6% of Republicans.
Democrats are currently much more likely to wear a mask — 25% of that party’s members who responded to the poll said they wear one at least occasionally, compared to 15% of independents and just 6% of the Republicans. (iStock)
Those who said they still wear masks gave the following reasons for doing so, according to Gallup:
13% say they are immune-compromised and are protecting themselves from COVID-1935% say they are not immune-compromised but still wear masks for protection11% say they are following CDC guidelines to wear one to protect others19% say they protect themselves from poor air quality22% cited other reasons not related to COVID-19
COVID is ‘back on the radar,’ says Dr. Siegel
COVID is “back on the radar,” said Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor — but reactions are mixed, from fear to denial to fatigue, he said.
“The most important thing, and this is what I tell my patients, is that we now have tools that we didn’t have before – rapid tests, Paxlovid, vaccines, even masks, that you can get some benefit from if the right measures are taken. An appropriate, high-quality mask is worn in a high-risk environment for a high-risk patient,” Siegel said.
“I have the resources to help my patients, so for the most part the worry is much less.”
While the doctor doesn’t believe COVID is over, he said that because there is “significant residual immunity in the community,” the current version appears to be much more of an upper respiratory virus than the original.
The resurgence in COVID conversation stems from the time of year and cold and flu season, a board-certified family physician in Miami said. (iStock)
“I have the resources to help my patients, so for the most part the worry is much less,” Siegel said.
“The time for COVID hysteria – both among those who are petrified and those who would deny it – is over.”
Cold and flu season plays a role, says Dr. Laura Purdy
Dr. Laura Purdy, a board-certified family physician in Miami, said she believes the resurgence of COVID conversation stems from entering cold and flu season.
“This time of year, patients are generally concerned about getting sick and what they can personally do to protect themselves,” she told Fox News Digital.
The just-approved COVID vaccine should be skipped by Florida residents under age 65, GOV SAYS. DESANTIS
“We’re going to see COVID cases because this is the time of year when people are more likely to contract and transmit viruses, and it seems like most of the population is aware of that,” Purdy continued.
“So these concerns are valid as we will most likely see an increase in numbers.”
“The time for COVID hysteria – both among those who are petrified and those who would deny it – is over.”
For those concerned about the health risks of getting COVID, Purdy suggested taking protective measures.
“If that means getting a COVID vaccine, washing hands frequently or wearing a mask, they should do that,” she said.
For those concerned about the health risks of getting COVID, one doctor suggests taking protective measures: “If that means getting a COVID vaccine, washing your hands frequently, or wearing a mask, do that. ” (iStock)
Practicing good hygiene and hand washing is always a good rule of thumb during flu season, the doctor noted.
“Everyone will choose how to protect themselves and others this season,” Purdy said.
“If you have any questions or concerns about how to best protect yourself and what to do if you become ill, please consult your doctor,” she also said.
Context is key, says Dr. Brett Osborn
Dr. Brett Osborn, a neurologist and longevity expert in Florida, said there is a need for context when considering the rise in COVID-related hospitalizations.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“There has been a spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations in September — and the poll only refers to the first week of September — but the curve is already flattening,” he told Fox News Digital.
This is reflected in the updated CDC data from September 25, Osborn noted. “There has been a 4.3% decrease in COVID-related hospitalizations over the past week.”
COVID-19 and its subvariants will closely resemble the flu, a doctor said. “This is how I manage my patients,” he said. “In that regard, there has not been a single patient in my practice who has expressed concerns about COVID.” (iStock)
As time goes on, Osborn predicts that COVID-19 and its subvariants will closely mirror the flu.
“This is how I manage my patients,” he said. “In that regard, there has not been a single patient in my practice who has expressed concerns about COVID.”
“COVID is here to stay. We cannot do anything about this very basic epidemiological fact.”
As for people who believe the pandemic is getting worse, Osborn described that as “a misrepresentation.”
“This is just a virus being a virus, nothing more,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“We can expect more of these sporadic spikes in the future, but they will likely be low amplitude, as is the case here, and of much less clinical relevance than during the 2020 pandemic.”
The doctor added: “COVID is here to stay. We cannot do anything about this very basic epidemiological fact.”
For more health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
Melissa Rudy is a health editor and member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
