As the delta variant goes high, more states, as well as school districts, implement mask and vaccine restrictions, and the hospitals of the country once again fill to capacity. A new survey reveals that anxiety over COVID-19 in the United States has reached its greatest level since winter.
According to the results of the poll conducted by the Associated Press Center for Public Affairs Research, a majority of American adults support mandatory vaccinations for those attending movies, sports, concerts, and other crowded events; those traveling by airplane; and those working in hospitals, restaurants, stores, and government offices (including the military).
According To Associated Press, COVID Is Increasing Amid A Dramatic Rise
According to the survey results, 41% of respondents are “very” or “very” concerned about the possibility of contracting the virus or infecting their family members. This is an increase from the previous month’s figure of 21 percent, and it is about the same as the figure from January when the country’s last big spike occurred when 43 percent were very or very concerned. Bowers, a Democrat, and his wife, one public school teacher, happened to be among those who received vaccinations ahead of schedule.
However, they are concerned about their children, who are 7 and 9 years old, attending school in Arizona, where the state’s Republican governor, Doug Ducey, passed legislation prohibiting school districts from demanding masks, let alone the world of vaccinations.
A vacation to New York with the family provided a welcome break from the effects of COVID-19 exhaustion over the summer. In Bowers’ words, “COVID was very much out of my head.” “It seems like we’re moving backward right now.” The majority of Americans (about 6 in 10) support mandating individuals to be vaccinated entirely against COVID-19 before traveling on an aircraft or attending large public events. The majority of Americans support such policies, with just roughly a quarter opposing them.
Approximately 6 in 10 people also favor vaccination requirements for hospital or other healthcare professionals, as well as for government employees, members of the military, and workers who come into contact with the general public, such as those working in restaurants or retail shops, according to the poll. Support for mandating vaccines before entering a bar or restaurant is somewhat lower, but it is still more popular than the opposition, with 51 percent in favor and 28 percent against.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 200 million individuals, or slightly more than 60% of the population of the United States, have gotten at least one vaccination shot as of Thursday, a record high. Only a little more than half of the population had received all of their vaccinations.
As of last week, hospitals throughout the United States were treating more than 75,000 coronavirus cases, a significant rise from only a few weeks before but still well below the winter surge records. In recent weeks, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida, Arkansas, Oregon, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Mississippi have set new records. The spike in the delta variant, coupled with poor vaccination rates, has resulted in a rush to locate beds for patients. In spite of an increase in cases and growing concern about the virus, the poll suggests that people in the United States have not increased their own precautionary behavior since June.
Confidence in the ability of vaccinations to resist viral variations has not diminished, however, as U.S. health authorities revealed this week’s plans to provide booster doses to all Americans in order to strengthen their protection against the virus. The first dosages may be administered as early as next month.
Carla Jones, 37, of Lafayette, Louisiana, is a paraplegic with immune issues who is confined to a wheelchair after a vehicle accident that left her with serious spinal injuries. Her doctor has informed her that she will not be able to get the vaccination due to her health. She feels nervous when she goes to the doctor or when her grandkids come to visit.
