Or so the theory goes at least.
I say this because there's concern that many Americans aren't taking the threat seriously. A recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll found that only 56% of us view the coronavirus as a "real threat," which astonishingly represents a 10-point drop from where that number was a month ago.
Meanwhile, there's a palpable sense of frustration among government officials and media reporters regarding this cavalier attitude. Last night on CNN, Jake Tapper appeared visibly outraged, and understandably so. This monologue in particular caught my ear:
And look, I mean, my dad is turning 80 this month, you know. People out there who are millennials or younger and thinking, "Well, if you're 80 years old, you know—it only affects people who are in there 70s and 80s." Which isn't true, although obviously the people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s are most vulnerable to it. But what are you saying? That my 80-year-old dad, therefore, is fair game? I mean, the selfishness of people who are not taking this seriously is just maddening. And I get some people just don't understand it, but what bothers me is the people who just think, "Well I'm young. I'm not gonna die from it." First of all, not necessarily true. Second of all, you could get really, really sick, and you could be injured for the rest of your life with, like, scarred lungs. And third of all, who the hell are you to be walking around, just giving this to old people, and you're just flippantly dismissing it?On the whole, I agree. But I do object to the notion that he and others I've seen across various media outlets laying this albatross across the necks of younger generations as if this isn't a widespread problem.
That NPR/PBS/Marist poll illustrates this point plainly when you dive into the question-by-question data. The key question NPR highlights in its article is this: "Do you think the coronavirus is a real threat or blown out of proportion?" Again, 56% list say yes, it is a real threat, while 38% feel it's blown out of proportion. Moreover, the generational breakdown follows the blame-the-young narrative: 57% of baby boomers view coronavirus as a real threat, while only 51% of millennials/Gen Z do.
Similarly, the poll asks how concerned people are about the spread of the virus in their communities. Overall, 70% express concern. Among boomers that number is 74%, but among millennials/Gen Z it's only 63%, which is one hell of a drop off.
What's interesting to me, however, are the questions that ask about mitigation behaviors. So for instance, "Have you, yourself, or someone in your household experienced any of the following because of the coronavirus:"
All adults
|
Baby Boomers
|
Millennials/ Gen Z
| |
Decided to eat at home more often?
|
46%
|
44%
|
49%
|
Stocked up on food or supplies?
|
42%
|
38%
|
47%
|
Changed travel plans?
|
30%
|
29%
|
35%
|
Cancelled plans to avoid crowds?
|
48%
|
48%
|
54%
|
Changed your work routine?*
|
33%
|
25%
|
40%
|
At first I thought these difference might be explained by other factors. For instance, millennials do dine out more frequently than boomers, but boomers on average visit restaurants at least weekly—and they almost always dine in. Perhaps boomers travel less frequently? Not really. According to AARP, boomers average 4-5 trips annually while millennials are on par with about 5 trips a year.
My takeaway is that in comparison to millennials/Gen Z, baby boomers tend to view coronavirus as a greater threat, but despite their increased level of concern, they appear less willing than younger generations to make changes in their routines that would mitigate its spread. While it's certainly true that many young people are ignoring the warning signs, the ones paying attention are taking action. I'm not sure we can say the same for boomers.
