With a new wave of infections rapidly spreading across the globe, this has once again sparked questions and concerns about how transmissible the new variant is and how much protection our current vaccines provide.
Determined to stay ahead of the virus, some governments have reignited their vaccine booster campaigns and re-introduced social and travel restrictions to minimise the spread of Omicron.
So, how concerned are we about how this will impact our holiday plans and social activities as we approach the festive season?
We asked 1,745 people, from nationally representative samples in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and the United States, if they’re concerned about Omicron and its potential impact on their Christmas plans. This is what we found:
About three-quarters of respondents across New Zealand, the UK and Australia believe that banning flights from certain countries is the right approach to slow down the spread of the new variant. Less Americans agree with this strategy (64%).
About 7 out of 10 people in the UK, AU and NZ feel their country has a responsibility towards ensuring less developed countries are vaccinated, compared to about 6 out of 10 people in the US.
Most people in all 4 countries are concerned that the spread of Omicron will trigger another lockdown in their city: NZ (61%), UK, (60%), AU (58%), US (55%).
About half of all Brits, Kiwis and Aussies are concerned that their Christmas plans could be affected by social and travel restrictions this year, compared to 41% of Americans.
Brits and Kiwis are the most concerned that current vaccines may not be effective against the Omicron variant: NZ (63%), UK (62%), US (57%), AU (53%).
Most people in all 4 countries have not allowed their concerns over Omicron to affect their social plans: NZ (85%), UK (79%), US (82%), AU (83%).
The infographic below represents further key findings from the research:
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