Brutal pandemic reality sets in: It's here to stay

In early April, most Americans — and nearly as many Germans and Swedes — thought the coronavirus pandemic would be behind them by the time summer was out.

Why it matters: Like swimming against the tide, the longer countries are stuck in the pandemic, the farther it seems to stretch out in front of them.

Consider this: 42% of Germans once expected the effects of the pandemic to end this summer.

• Now, 66% expect it to carry on through next summer — one year from now — according to polling from strategic consulting firm Kekst CNC, shared with Axios.
• Brits have long been most prepared for the long haul. 53% expect the country to be grappling with the pandemic two years from now, compared to 35% in Japan.
• That view is less common in France (28%), Germany (21%), Sweden (24%) and the U.S. (25%).

Concerns about the pandemic's impacts on household finances and job security have fallen significantly since the spring, particularly in the U.S., indicating government rescue packages have had their intended effects.

• With spending likely to be dialed back, worries are starting to tick back up in the U.K. and Japan, though Swedes and Germans remain the least concerned.
• Japanese people are easily most likely to believe they will lose their job (38% vs. 20% in the U.S.), though relatively few say they already have (9% Japan, 16% U.S., 16% Sweden, 15% France, 10% Germany, 6% U.K.).
• Japanese people are also by far the most critical of the support their government is offering businesses.

Go deeper: Approval soars for Merkel, slumps for Trump and Abe