The latest Back to Normal Barometer shows a majority of Americans favoring the lifting of all COVID related restrictions, once enough vaccines are available for all who want them.
NEW YORK, NY – A groundbreaking “Back-to-Normal Barometer” survey for the first time finds that 63% of Americans believe that government should get out of the way of dictating the size of outside-the-home gatherings once COVID-19 vaccines are available to everyone who wants one.
Additionally, 75% of those planning to be vaccinated agree that customers should be required to show proof of vaccination to participate in activities, while 58% of those not planning to be vaccinated disagree. 70% of those planning to be vaccinated are comfortable with non-vaccinated customers being barred from activities, while 58% of those not planning to be vaccinated are uncomfortable.
The survey asked respondents on whether they agreed or disagreed with this statement, “Once COVID-19 vaccines are available for all who want one, it will no longer be appropriate for the government to dictate the size of gatherings outside the home.” 42% strongly agree; 21% somewhat agree; 22% somewhat disagree and 15% strongly disagree.
“While a majority of Americans have told pollsters throughout the pandemic they’re comfortable with massive government spending, a majority of our survey respondents also want the government to stop telling them how to live their lives,” said Rich Thau, President of Engagious, one of the three firms—along with the Sports and Leisure Research Group and ROKK Solutions—that conducted the survey.
The survey asked respondents on whether they agreed or disagreed with this statement, “Once the COVID-19 vaccine is widely available, I’ll be comfortable requiring customers to show proof of vaccination to participate in certain activities, such as flying, attending a sporting event, or going to the movies.” Among those likely to be vaccinated: 61% strongly agreed; 14% somewhat agree; 15% somewhat disagree and 10% strongly disagree. Among those not likely to be vaccinated: 19% strongly agree; 23% somewhat agree; 25% somewhat disagree and 33% strongly disagree.
“After a full year of pulsing consumers on what it will take to get back to normal, we seem to be arriving at a major inflection point,” said Jon Last, President of Sports and Leisure Research Group and former national president of the Insights Association (MRA). “In the past month, we’ve seen a meaningful intensification in COVID fatigue that has only been escalated by the increased pace in vaccine distribution. Americans have “Spring Fever!”
The survey asked respondents on whether they agreed or disagreed with this statement, “Once the COVID-19 vaccine is widely available, I’ll be comfortable barring non-vaccinated people from participating in certain activities, such as flying, attending a sporting event, or going to the movies.” Among those likely to be vaccinated: 51% strongly agreed; 19% somewhat agree; 16% somewhat disagree and 14% strongly disagree. Among those not likely to be vaccinated: 18% strongly agree; 24% somewhat agree; 23% somewhat disagree and 35% strongly disagree.
“We’ve uncovered a lightning rod of implications for non-vaccinated Americans who want to return to activities like flying, attending a sporting event or going to the movies. This could mean a tough road ahead for them as they try to navigate this new normal of American life,” said Ron Bonjean, Partner at ROKK Solutions.
The margin of error on the March 3, 2021 online survey of 512 Americans is +/-4.3% at the 95% confidence interval.
Sports and Leisure Research Group is a market research firm specializing in the sports, travel, and leisure sectors, based in White Plains, NY. Engagious is a bicoastal research firm specializing in corporate and public policy message testing and message refinement. ROKK Solutions is a Washington, DC-based bipartisan public affairs firm specializing in strategic communications, media engagement, digital and social strategy, message amplification and crisis management.