Americans hope that 2022 will be better

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Although most Americans don’t think 2021 was great, more hold out hope that 2022 will be better. The past year was one of many ups and downs, as hope that COVID was in abeyance dissipated with the emergence of the Delta and omicron variants.

COVID remains one of the most prominent distinguishing features of everyday life, with most people focused on coping with the pandemic, a sentiment that spiked with every new variant.

Some of the more dramatic divides in perspective exist among the vaccinated and unvaccinated. Many of the unvaccinated believe that it is already here or just around the corner, while the vaccinated are once again settling into a longer wait. CONTINUED

Sarah Feldman & Catherine Morris, Ipsos

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Why YouGov is changing how we ask people how many COVID-19 vaccine shots they’ve received

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The new Omicron variant is far from the only thing changing about the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines, vaccine doses, medical advice concerning vaccines, and the language we use to discuss all of it continue to evolve, so YouGov continues to monitor how we ask people about their vaccination status and what results we’re getting. We’ve tested different kinds of questions and found that question language has only minor effects, but we want to get out ahead of all the changes, especially with boosters, so we’re moving to a longer series of questions that ask for more specifics.

We also have tracked how our survey estimates compare to government estimates, though much of the difference may result from the challenges facing official efforts in protecting privacy while tracking the same people through multiple vaccine doses. CONTINUED

Mark Blumenthal, YouGov

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Consumer Confidence Improved Again in December

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The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® increased again in December, after an upward revision in November. The Index now stands at 115.8 (1985=100), up from 111.9 (an upward revision) in November. …

“Consumer confidence improved further in December, following a very modest gain in November,” said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. “The Present Situation Index dipped slightly but remains very high, suggesting the economy has maintained its momentum in the final month of 2021.” CONTINUED

Conference Board

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Americans widely distrust Facebook, TikTok and Instagram with their data

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… It’s the rare thing that Americans of all ages and across the political spectrum largely seem to agree on: They don’t trust social media services with their information and they view targeted ads as annoying and invasive, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll. Many Americans use social media — and most use Facebook — but 64 percent say the government should do more to rein in big tech companies.

People are caught in thrall to platforms and devices that increasingly shape the way we communicate, shop, store important information and otherwise manage the most fundamental parts of our lives. …

Despite the catchall term “Big Tech,” the biggest technology companies are not all viewed in the same negative light. The businesses that sell goods or services directly to people are viewed more favorably, like Apple and Amazon. There’s less mystery about how they’re making money off customers, and there’s not as much of a barrier between the organizations and the individuals who pay them.

It’s the social media companies, where the services are offered up ostensibly free, that unsettle Americans more. After years of privacy experts warning that “if it’s free, you’re the product,” perhaps the reality of what that really means has started to be fully absorbed. CONTINUED

Heather Kelly & Emily Guskin, Washington Post

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Poll Hub: Wrapping up 2021

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With 2021 coming to a close, our team breaks down how Americans feel about everything from the holiday season to what the future holds in 2022. And the age-old question: will you be up when the ball drops or will you be fast asleep?

Marist Institute for Public Opinion

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Differences in Vaccine Attitudes Between Rural, Suburban, and Urban Areas

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… Rural and suburban adults continue to lag somewhat behind those living in urban areas in terms of vaccine uptake. As of November, eight in ten urban residents (79%) say they have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine compared to seven in ten suburban adults and 67% of rural adults. One in five (21%) of those living in rural areas and one in six (16%) of those living in suburban areas say they will “definitely not” get a COVID-19 vaccine, at least twice the share of urban residents who say the same (8%).

The rural-urban gap in vaccination intention is even larger when it comes to children. About half of rural parents say they will definitely not get their 12-17 year-old children or their 5-11 year-old children vaccinated for COVID-19. CONTINUED

Kaiser Family Foundation

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