The polling finds:
- Most Britons don't know what to expect with the pandemic - leaving them unsure whether the worst has already passed, or the worst is yet to come
- Britons are evenly divided over whether the pandemic still affects their day-to-day lives (55% not much/not at all, 45% a great deal/fair amount)
- Most Britons want life to return to normal, rather than making changes to their lives, as we emerge from the pandemic.
- Britons feel warmth towards those who have been vaccinated (82/100 for those who've had their jab) and coldness towards those who have decided not to be vaccinated (23/100)
- The clear priority for two thirds of the British public is for the government to tackle NHS waiting lists for scans and treatment.
- The public are equally proud and disappointed at the country's handling of the pandemic - but only 1 in 5 are more confident about the UK's ability to tackle future challenges as a result of the pandemic.
Luke Tryl, UK Director of More in Common, says:
"Entering the third year of the pandemic, the British public are as uncertain as ever about what will happen next. They’re also increasingly concerned about what the UK’s handling of the pandemic means for future crises, something that’s also reflected in them being more likely to be disappointed than proud with how our country has handled the pandemic. But while Brits maybe unsure about the future path of pandemic, there are a couple of areas where their minds are solidly made up. Firstly, in their frustration towards those who have opted not to get vaccinated - asked to rate how warmly they feel towards people who haven’t been vaccinated, people give an average score of just 23 out of 100, compared to 82 out of 100 for those who have taken up their jabs. Secondly, in what they think the Government’s priority should be in tackling the damage of Covid - with 62% of Britons saying that reducing NHS waiting lists is the most important backlog to tackle."
