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72% Are Concerned About New COVID-19 Strains Making The Pandemic Worse, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Nearly 6 In 10 Say The Pandemic Has Caused Financial Struggles

As COVID-19 variants spread, almost three-quarters of Americans say they are either very concerned (34 percent) or somewhat concerned (38 percent) that the new strains of COVID-19 will make the coronavirus pandemic in the United States worse, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University national poll of 1,075 adults released today. About one-quarter of Americans say they are not so concerned (13 percent) or not concerned at all (14 percent) that the new strains will make the pandemic worse.

When it comes to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, 7 percent say they have already been vaccinated, 59 percent say they are willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine, and 30 percent say they are not willing to get one.

Among those who say they are not willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) cite safety concerns that are specific to the COVID-19 vaccine while 28 percent of those not willing to get a COVID- 19 vaccine say they have concerns about vaccines in general.

"Worries are high about darker days ahead in the pandemic as new strains of COVID-19 emerge. While the race is on to get adults vaccinated, 3 in 10 Americans are voicing resistance about rolling up their sleeves," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Mary Snow.

VACCINE DISTRIBUTION

A majority of Americans say, 57 - 34 percent, that they believe President Joe Biden will be able to fulfill his pledge to get enough vaccines for 300 million Americans by the end of the summer.

Two-thirds of Americans say they are either very confident (21 percent) or somewhat confident (45 percent) in the federal government's ability to oversee the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Another thirty-one percent say they are either not so confident (17 percent) or not confident at all (14 percent).

ANTHONY FAUCI: FAVORABILITY

Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical adviser on COVID-19, receives a positive favorability rating as 53 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of him, 23 percent have an unfavorable opinion, and 22 percent haven't heard enough about him.

MASKS

Three-quarters (75 percent) of Americans say they wear a mask all the time when they go out in public where six feet of social distancing can't always be maintained, and 12 percent say they wear a mask most of the time.

Asked to compare their mask wearing to a few months ago, 66 percent say they wear masks about as often as they did a few months ago, with 25 percent saying they wear them more often.

Among those wearing a mask more often compared to a few months ago, 29 percent say President Biden's urging Americans to wear a mask was a major reason why, 11 percent say it was a minor reason and 58 percent say it was not a reason at all.

CORONAVIRUS: MENTAL HEALTH & FINANCIAL IMPACT

Roughly half of Americans (51 percent) say the coronavirus pandemic is harming their mental health or a family member's mental health, and 48 percent say it is not.

More than half of Americans (58 percent) say the coronavirus pandemic has caused financial struggles for them or someone in their immediate family, while 42 percent say it has not.

When asked how difficult it would be to pay an unexpected bill of one thousand dollars right away, 59 percent say it would be either very difficult (31 percent) or somewhat difficult (28 percent) to pay a bill of that size. Forty percent say it would be not so difficult (14 percent) or not difficult at all (26 percent).

"With COVID-19 upending life in the U.S. for almost an entire year, the financial toll of the pandemic shows no escape for a majority of American families. For 3 in 10 Americans, paying an unexpected bill of $1,000 right now would be very difficult," added Snow.

ECONOMY

Seventy-one percent of Americans rate the economy as not so good (44 percent) or poor (27 percent). Twenty-six percent rate it as excellent (3 percent) or good (23 percent).

Asked what they think is the best indicator in regard to how well the country's economy is doing, 59 percent said the unemployment rate, 11 percent said the stock market, 9 percent said home values, 9 percent did not offer an opinion, 7 percent said something else and 6 percent said retirement savings.

SUPER BOWL

A little more than half of Americans (53 percent) plan to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday while 42 percent say they'll pass on watching it this year.

Among those who plan to watch, 7 out of 10 say they'll do so with fewer people this year, but 29 percent say they're not likely to watch with fewer people than in previous years.

Neither team can claim to be America's favorite. The Kansas City Chiefs have a razor thin lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 25 - 21 percent, among Americans. Forty-nine percent say they don't care which team wins.

1,075 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from January 28th - February 1st with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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