3 Things To Know: Election’s Impact on Consumer Spending, Concerns for Respiratory Infections, and Americans Still Support Permanent Daylight Saving Time

by | Oct 28, 2024

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Photo Credit: Andrej Lisakov (unsplash)

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1. The majority of Americans say their upcoming spending, investing, and travel plans are likely to change based on who wins the election.

Election Day is now just over a week away. While it will be consequential in a number of areas, CivicScience data show its result is likely to have a significant impact on consumer spending. More than two-thirds of U.S. adults say they are likely to change their spending, investing, or travel plans if the candidate they support loses the election. This includes more than a third who report they are ‘very’ likely to make changes based on the result. To what extent varies by political affiliation.

For a deep dive into the impacts of the election on consumer spending, join CivicScience CEO John Dick in an exclusive webinar on November 12. Click to learn more about this event.

2. A noteworthy percentage of Americans are concerned about contracting respiratory infections.

Flu season has arrived, and health experts say October is a prime time to get vaccinated for the flu, RSV, and COVID-19. According to new poll results, 45% of U.S. adults say they are concerned about someone in their household coming down with RSV, 53% are concerned about COVID-19, and 55% are worried about the flu.

Looking at the long-term trends, Americans’ concerns about COVID-19 have been a roller coaster of ups and downs over the first two years of the pandemic. Over the past two years, however, COVID-19 concerns tend to increase in the fall and decline again in the spring. The latest data show the percentage who are ‘more’ concerned rose heading into the fall, while declining again in October, mirroring last year.

Access the full Weekly Pulse Report to see additional data, including the latest vaccination intent among the flu, RSV, and COVID-19.


Let Us Know: Will you get a flu shot this season?


3. Most Americans still believe daylight saving time should be permanent as the shift to standard time approaches.

With the end of daylight saving time (DST) approaching next weekend, Americans will once again have to trade less sunset for an extra hour of sleep. The latest CivicScience data indicate that more than 6-in-10 U.S. adults support making daylight saving time permanent – which would end biannual clock changes. This sentiment has held relatively consistent but is down two points since last year.

Additional data find many report they adjust to the change quickly, including 40% who adapt immediately. Gen Z adults, however, report the most difficulty with adapting to time change.


Cast Your Vote: Do you generally prefer daylight saving time or standard time?


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