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Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for April 20, 2021
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
April 20, 2021: Forty-one percent (41%) of voters believe that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 32% disagree and believe the worst is yet to come.[1]
Those figures are little changed from six weeks ago.[2] That suggests the recent trend of growing confidence has stalled.[1]
Prior to the past six weeks, confidence was growing rapidly. 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.[1]
However, following the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, confidence surged. By late January, 33% of voters believed the worst of the pandemic was behind us, while 40% believed the worst was still to come.[3] Then, in mid-February, for the first time ever, a plurality of voters believed that the worst was behind us. At that point, 39% took the optimistic view, while 31% gave a more pessimistic answer. By early March, the number believing the worst was behind us inched up to 42%.[2] That's the highest level of confidence yet measured and a point higher than the current numbers.[1]
Throughout the pandemic, there has been a vast partisan perception gap. That remains the case today. By a 50% to 27% margin, Republicans believe the worst is behind us. By a narrow plurality (37% to 31%), independents tend to agree. Democrats are evenly divided. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of those in President Biden's party believe the worst is behind us, while 36% believe it is yet to come.[1]
| Worst of Pandemic is Behind Us | Worst of Pandemic is Still to Come | Net | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 15-17 | 41% | 32% | +9% |
| Mar. 4-6 | 42% | 28% | +14% |
| Feb. 18-20 | 39% | 31% | +8% |
| Jan. 28-30 | 33% | 40% | -7% |
| Dec. 10-12 | 21% | 62% | -41% |
| Nov. 27-28 | 18% | 68% | -50% |
| Nov. 12-14 | 22% | 62% | -40% |
| Oct. 15-17 | 22% | 56% | -34% |
| Oct. 8-10 | 27% | 52% | -25% |
| Oct. 1-3 | 24% | 55% | -31% |
| Sept. 3-5 | 29% | 49% | -20% |
| Aug. 13-15 | 20% | 59% | -39% |
| July 23-25 | 15% | 63% | -48% |
| June 4-6 | 29% | 42% | -13% |
| April 9-11 | 16% | 60% | -44% |
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- April 19, 2021 -7.3 percent of U.S. highway bridges are in poor condition
- April 16, 2021 -7 percent of American adults don’t use the internet
- April 15, 2021 -2,808 COVID-19 deaths per million residents in New Jersey
- April 14, 2021 –62% believe restaurant owners should decide whether vaccine passports required, 26% want government officials to decide
- April 13, 2021 -41 percent of U.S. adults listen to music most on streaming services
- To see other recent numbers, check out the archive.
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.
The Number of the Day is broadcast on local stations across the country. An archive of these broadcasts can be found here.
Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
Ballotpedia is the nonprofit, nonpartisan Encyclopedia of American Politics.
See also
- Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine distribution by state
- Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for December 2, 2020
- Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for February 23, 2021
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 ScottRasmussen.com, "41% Believe Worst of Pandemic Behind Us; 32% Believe Worst is Yet to Come," April 19, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 ScottRasmussen.com, "Confidence Growing: 42% Now Believe Worst of Pandemic is Behind Us, 28% Disagree, March 8, 2021
- ↑ ScottRasmussen.com, "Vaccine Arrival has Dramatically Reduced Pessimism about Pandemic," February 1, 2021
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