On PR Newswire: Best Hospitals Ranked, Domestic Travel Surges, Stress in the Time of COVID-19

With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire for Journalists. Here are some of this week’s most newsworthy:

Source: PRNewsfoto/Hospital

U.S. News Releases 2020-21 Best Hospitals Rankings and Special ‘Hospital Heroes’ Series During Historic Year for Health Care

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings, released the 2020-21 Best Hospitals rankings. The 31st edition includes special recognition of the herculean efforts being mounted by the nation’s health professionals who have stepped up during COVID-19, often at great personal risk. The U.S. News Hospital Heroes series is a cornerstone of this year’s rankings package, profiling more than 65 health care heroes from across the country, along with commentary from top executives at hospitals who faced the pandemic head on.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Coronavirus & consumers

IBM Study: Most U.S. Consumers Remain Unsettled About the Economy, Visiting Public Spaces and Returning to the Workplace Amidst COVID-19

The most recent findings from an ongoing IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) survey of U.S. consumers show that Americans remain concerned about returning to the workplace in the face of the ongoing pandemic and expect further outbreaks of COVID-19 in the fall. The July research revealed a slight contrast in consumer attitudes compared to June, when there were emerging signs of public optimism about the direction of the pandemic and the economy.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Beach

Despite Uncertain Economic Times, Domestic Travel Surges

Despite COVID-19 travel restrictions and uncertainty, U.S. residents are still taking vacations. Travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth.com reports more U.S. travelers than ever this year. A 19% increase in the number of U.S. travelers this year highlights a pent-up demand for travel, while international trips have been limited by travel restrictions and border closures.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Vaccination

WebMD Poll Finds Only One in Four Will Opt to Get COVID-19 Vaccine When First Available

Fewer than half of all people responding to a new WebMD poll say they plan to get a vaccine for COVID-19 within the first year of availability, and only one in four (26%) would get a vaccine in the first three months.

Source: PRNewsfoto/American Psychological Association

Majority of Republicans and Democrats Reassured by COVID-19 Preventative Measures but Stressed About Nationwide Uncertainty

While the issue of how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 continues to be highly politicized, a new survey by the American Psychological Association shows a consensus among Republicans and Democrats: a majority of Republicans (65%) and Democrats (88%) report that they find preventive measures like wearing masks and physical distancing to be reassuring, and agree that it is stressful to be around others when they do not take these steps (66% Republicans, 87% Democrats).

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Larry Grady is online content manager at PR Newswire for Journalists.  He has worked in business media for nearly 30 years and enjoys reality TV and daydreaming about travel and wine.