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Americans are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey.
The national Harris Poll conducted over the weekend found a significant uptick in positive sentiment about the pandemic — and a drop in fears of the virus.
“The last year has certainly been difficult for many Americans and their families, but in the face of all the hardships and social distancing efforts, many have remained optimistic and resilient when it comes to their mental health,” John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll, said in a statement.
More than half, or 52 percent, of the 2,000 adults surveyed said they are not afraid of dying as a result of catching COVID-19, the highest mark since July 2020.
For most of the year, the number of people who said they were frightened of being killed by the virus outnumbered the alternative.
More than 516,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, but both deaths and cases have recently been on the decline.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 20 percent of the adult population is now vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The poll found a 15 percent increase in how many Americans approve of how the COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed.
About 66 percent gave the nation’s inoculation efforts the thumbs up, compared to 51 percent just one month ago.
The findings came as President Biden on Tuesday said the US will have enough vaccines for every US adult by the end of May, two months earlier than previously anticipated.
Despite the stepped-up pace of vaccine production, the massive effort to get every American jabbed could extend well into the summer, officials said.
Biden said he hoped that the nation would be back to normal sometime before “this time next year.”
Still, when asked if they currently think there is light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic, nearly 6 in 10 respondents said yes, according to the poll.
They were also more optimistic about the effects of the pandemic, with 66 percent overall saying their mental health has been affected in a positive way.
About 30 percent of those respondents said they’ve found more things to be grateful for during the crisis; 28 percent said they’ve taken more “me time” to do things for themselves; and 25 percent said they’ve been praying more.
“While Americans remain vigilant over the pandemic,” Gerzema said, “it is an encouraging sign to see greater acceptance of the vaccine, a belief that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and a declining sentiment in fear of dying from the virus.”
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