(The Center Square) The latest strain of coronavirus has popped up around the globe, but the latest polling shows Americans are not in favor of new vaccine mandates to prevent the variant’s spread.
Health experts have characterized the new omicron variant as quick to spread but less deadly than earlier strains with “extremely mild,” flu-like symptoms.
But that has not stopped some institutions—including college campuses—from reflexively making moves to shut down operations, paving the way for another global economic catastrophe.
Convention of States Action, along with Trafalgar group, released new polling data Wednesday showing the majority of Americans oppose new vaccine mandates to address omicron.
The poll found 69.4% of Americans say “no new mandates or restrictions are required” for the variant, opposed to 30.6% who say the opposite.
“Unlike government health officials in Washington, DC, Americans have already figured out that mandates and lockdowns are not the way we will beat the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mark Meckler, president of Convention of States Action.
“As we’ve seen in our polls repeatedly, the American people are tired of all this and ready to get on with their lives,” he added. “The U.S. Senate finally recognized this reality this week with the bipartisan passage of the bill to block President Biden’s illegal vaccine mandate, and we’re going to see more of this as we get closer to 2022 and elected officials fight to save their jobs.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., subsequently blocked the mandate repeal from reaching the House floor. A vote would pose a dilemma for vulnerable Democrats who would be forced to choose between party and country.
Both parties oppose new mandates, according to the poll.
The surveys found 86.5% of Republicans oppose new mandates over the variant, while only 54.5% of Democrats feel the same way.
Notably, 67% of Independents oppose new mandates because of omicron.
The poll data came from surveys conducted from Dec. 4 through Dec. 7 of more than 1,000 likely 2022 voters.
Headline USA’s Ben Sellers contributed to this report.
