December 9, 2021: The latest numbers on the pandemic show that 32% now believe the worst is behind us. That’s down eight points from a week ago and 14 points from a month ago.
A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 40% now believe the worst is yet to come. These numbers reflect a significant increase in pessimism. It’s the first time in two months that more voters expressed the negative view rather than the positive option.
Perceptions about the pandemic have varied over time. When the lockdowns first began, a majority of voters believed the pandemic would end by Memorial Day 2020.
In 2021, optimism rose when the vaccines became available. By May, 56% believed the worst was behind us. However, confidence fell over the summer with the arrival of the Delta variant.
By July, 28% still believed the worst had already come and gone. Confidence began to grow again in early October before falling again in November.
Scott Rasmussen is founder and president of the Rasmussen Media Group. He is a political analyst, author, public speaker, independent public opinion pollster and columnist for Creators Syndicate. Read Scott Rasmussen's Reports — More Here.
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