A recent survey conducted by Intelligent.com has found that six in 10 college students (63 percent) plan to wear masks on campus even if not required by their schools.
The online magazine polled 2,000 college students attending an in-person institution this fall. Of those who report they will voluntarily wear masks, 62 percent identify as Republicans, and 72 percent as Democrats.
When asked if they plan to wear masks in various campus settings, 66 percent of surveyed students said “yes” when in the classroom. Six out of 10 students said they will also wear face masks in dorm hallways and common areas. Meanwhile, 70 percent of respondents said “yes” to wearing masks when attending an indoor party.
The survey was conducted amid announcements by some states and colleges that they will not require students — especially those who have been vaccinated — to wear masks on campus when in-person classes recommence in September.
According to Intelligent.com contributor Beata Williams, the survey results were a shocking turnaround. She pointed out that students seemed a little more resistant to wearing masks last year, even though the country had been tallying record-high COVID-19 cases.
14% Not Intending to Get Vaccinated
Intelligent.com found that a small but notable percentage of college students do not plan to be vaccinated before returning to campus.
Around 14 percent do not intend to receive COVID-19 shots, and many of them also do not plan to wear masks even if their schools have mask mandates.
Among those who said they would remain unvaccinated, only half said they would wear masks during indoor parties, while 44 percent said they would wear them in the classroom. Also, only 40 percent of unvaccinated students intend to wear masks in dorm hallways and common areas.
When asked if other people’s actions affected their decision with regards to wearing face masks, 60 percent of respondents admitted that they are either “sometimes” or “often” influenced by the majority.