Thirty-nine percent (39%) of voters now believe that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is behind us. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 31% disagree and believe the worst is still to come.
Rasmussen has been tracking this question throughout the pandemic and this is the first time ever that a plurality has offered a positive view. As recently as late November, 68% believed that the worst was still to come. At that time, only 18% believed the worst was behind us.
However, the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines dramatically decreased the levels of pessimism. By late January, 33% of voters believe the worst of the pandemic is behind us while 40% believe the worst is still to come.
Republicans, by a 50% to 23% margin, believe the worst is behind us. Democrats and Independents are evenly divided on the question.
The survey found that 17% of voters have had the vaccine. But awareness of the impact is much more significant. Among those who have not yet had the vaccine, 63% know a close friend or family member who has been vaccinated.
Suburban voters are more optimistic than those living in urban or rural areas.
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Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left more than seven years ago and has had no involvement since that time.
Methodology
The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from February 18-20, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 212 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.
