The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 63% of Likely U.S. Voters think it’s likely that some U.S. officials were involved in a cover-up of China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic, including 43% who consider it Very Likely. Twenty-five percent (25%) don’t believe it is likely American officials covered up for China, including 15% who say it is Not At All Likely, and 13% are not sure.
Three years ago, 66% considered it likely U.S. officials were involved in a COVID-19 cover-up, meaning a majority of voters still believe federal officials helped conceal the role China played in the origins of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The survey was completed before Wednesday’s testimony by a CIA whistleblower that Dr. Anthony Fauci improperly influenced intelligence analyses to downplay findings that the COVID-19 epidemic most likely resulted from a laboratory accident in China.
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Republicans, 53% of Democrats and 58% of voters not affiliated with either major party think it is at least somewhat likely that U.S. officials were involved in a cover-up of China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, when it was revealed that American taxpayer dollars had funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, suspected as the source of the COVID-19 virus, Dr. Fauci defined gain-of-function research as “taking a virus that could infect humans and making it either more transmissible and/or pathogenic for humans.” Thirty-eight percent (38%) of voters are familiar with gain-of-function research, including just 15% who say they’re Very Familiar with it. A majority (55%) are not familiar with gain-of-function research, including 29% who are Not Familiar At All.
Thirty-six percent (36%) of voters think Fauci has told the truth about U.S. government funding for gain-of-function virus research, but 43% don’t think Fauci has told the truth and 21% are not sure. This finding has not changed significantly since 2021.
Concerns about vaccine safety are a lasting consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters believe it’s likely that side effects of COVID-19 vaccines have caused a significant number of unexplained deaths, including 37% who think it’s Very Likely. Thirty-one percent (31%) don’t consider it likely that COVID-19 vaccines caused a significant number of deaths, including 17% who say it’s Not At All Likely.
Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans, 48% of Democrats and 56% of voters not affiliated with either major party believe it is at least somewhat likely that side effects of COVID-19 vaccines have caused a significant number of unexplained deaths.
More Republicans (50%) than Democrats (30%) or unaffiliated voters (33%) say they’re familiar with gain-of-function research.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of Republicans, 26% of Democrats and 47% of unaffiliated voters don’t think Fauci has told the truth about U.S. government funding for gain-of-function virus research.
Majorities of every political category – 78% of Republicans, 53% of Democrats and 58% of unaffiliated voters – consider it at least somewhat likely that some U.S. officials were involved in a cover-up of China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Slightly more women voters (62%) than men (56%) say it’s at least somewhat likely that COVID-19 vaccines caused a significant number of deaths.
Majorities of every racial category – 60% of whites, 63% of black voters, 73% of Hispanics and 71% of other minorities – consider it at least somewhat likely that some U.S. officials were involved in a cover-up of China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic. Hispanics are most likely to think Fauci hasn’t told the truth about U.S. funding for gain-of-function virus research.
Voters 65 and older are least likely to suspect that COVID-19 vaccines caused a significant number of deaths.
Among those who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 67% don’t believe Fauci has told the truth about U.S. government funding for gain-of-function virus research, but 56% of Kamala Harris voters think Fauci has told the truth.
Three years ago, 66% considered it likely U.S. officials were involved in a COVID-19 cover-up, meaning a majority of voters still believe federal officials helped conceal the role China played in the origins of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The survey was completed before Wednesday’s testimony by a CIA whistleblower that Dr. Anthony Fauci improperly influenced intelligence analyses to downplay findings that the COVID-19 epidemic most likely resulted from a laboratory accident in China.
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Republicans, 53% of Democrats and 58% of voters not affiliated with either major party think it is at least somewhat likely that U.S. officials were involved in a cover-up of China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, when it was revealed that American taxpayer dollars had funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, suspected as the source of the COVID-19 virus, Dr. Fauci defined gain-of-function research as “taking a virus that could infect humans and making it either more transmissible and/or pathogenic for humans.” Thirty-eight percent (38%) of voters are familiar with gain-of-function research, including just 15% who say they’re Very Familiar with it. A majority (55%) are not familiar with gain-of-function research, including 29% who are Not Familiar At All.
Thirty-six percent (36%) of voters think Fauci has told the truth about U.S. government funding for gain-of-function virus research, but 43% don’t think Fauci has told the truth and 21% are not sure. This finding has not changed significantly since 2021.
Concerns about vaccine safety are a lasting consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters believe it’s likely that side effects of COVID-19 vaccines have caused a significant number of unexplained deaths, including 37% who think it’s Very Likely. Thirty-one percent (31%) don’t consider it likely that COVID-19 vaccines caused a significant number of deaths, including 17% who say it’s Not At All Likely.
Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans, 48% of Democrats and 56% of voters not affiliated with either major party believe it is at least somewhat likely that side effects of COVID-19 vaccines have caused a significant number of unexplained deaths.
More Republicans (50%) than Democrats (30%) or unaffiliated voters (33%) say they’re familiar with gain-of-function research.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of Republicans, 26% of Democrats and 47% of unaffiliated voters don’t think Fauci has told the truth about U.S. government funding for gain-of-function virus research.
Majorities of every political category – 78% of Republicans, 53% of Democrats and 58% of unaffiliated voters – consider it at least somewhat likely that some U.S. officials were involved in a cover-up of China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Slightly more women voters (62%) than men (56%) say it’s at least somewhat likely that COVID-19 vaccines caused a significant number of deaths.
Majorities of every racial category – 60% of whites, 63% of black voters, 73% of Hispanics and 71% of other minorities – consider it at least somewhat likely that some U.S. officials were involved in a cover-up of China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic. Hispanics are most likely to think Fauci hasn’t told the truth about U.S. funding for gain-of-function virus research.
Voters 65 and older are least likely to suspect that COVID-19 vaccines caused a significant number of deaths.
Among those who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 67% don’t believe Fauci has told the truth about U.S. government funding for gain-of-function virus research, but 56% of Kamala Harris voters think Fauci has told the truth.
