While a majority of Americans report they need to take breaks from COVID-19 news, it doesn’t stop them from talking about the virus nearly all the time. Roughly 44% of U.S. adults say they talk about the coronavirus most or almost all of the time, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.
The April survey found that U.S. adults report discussing COVID-19 either in person, over the internet or on the phone for a majority of their time — despite a majority of this demographic reporting they need to take breaks from COVID-related news coverage.
In another study from Pew Research Center, roughly seven out of 10 Americans say they need to consciously step away from news coverage — with another 43% saying it leaves them feeling worse afterward.
Despite this, it’s not a surprise the virus is so prominent in conversations. The virus has touched on nearly every aspect of U.S. lives. 43% of Americans report they or someone in their household has lost a job or taken a pay cut.
Widespread stay-at-home orders have been issued throughout the country, requiring all but essential employees to work from home.
Overall, 31% of U.S. adults report talking about the coronavirus with other people most of the time, with another 13% discussing it almost all the time. This is according to an April survey conducted by the Pew Research Center as part of the Center’s American News Pathways project.
The largest percentage of America, coming in at about 45%, report only sometimes discussing the virus with other people — while 11% report hardly ever –if not ever — talking about it.
According to the study, there are some distinct demographic differences between who’s talking about the virus and who’s not:
Adult’s tendencies to talk about the virus also depends on how closely they report following the news. Of those who say they follow the news “very closely,” roughly 58% report talking about the coronavirus most or almost all of the time.
For those who say they don’t follow the news very closely, if at all, only 19% report talking about COVID-19 most or almost all of the time.
COVID-19 coronavirus is transmitted from person to person. It is a
virus that is similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from
spreading:
Utah’s
Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</ span>
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</ p>