A recent poll showed that a growing number of Americans believe that the COVID-19 pandemic that began around March 2020 is now "over." A small minority of people believe that the pandemic is getting worse.
While the majority of Americans do not believe the pandemic is necessarily "over," another poll has found that most Americans are not as worried about COVID-19 as they were in recent months. And, a minority of Americans reported wearing a mask at all in the past week when the survey was taken.
A Gallup survey published late last week found that Americans’ worries about catching COVID-19 are the lowest since June 2021.
In the findings, 28 percent of Americans said they are “very” or “somewhat” worried they will get COVID-19.
Seventy-eight percent of Americans, the highest to date in the poll, said that it’s best for people who do not have the virus and are healthy to “lead their normal lives as much as possible and avoid interruptions to work and business.”
A minority of respondents, 22 percent, said that the best advice is to stay home as much as possible.
Gallup noted in the write-up that most Americans do not believe the pandemic is “over,” but, the majority are no longer worried about taking precautions like social distancing:
Though most Americans do not go as far as saying the pandemic is "over," about six in 10 are no longer making any attempt at social distancing. Even greater numbers advise that healthy adults lead as normal lives as possible. Meanwhile, concerns about catching COVID-19 are at a relative low point.
The poll found the “smallest percentage of Americans” are reporting they are staying away from specific social situations because of the pandemic, including avoiding large crowds (24 percent), avoiding travel via plane or public transportation (19 percent), avoiding going to public places (16 percent) and avoiding small gatherings (13 percent).
Forty percent of respondents said they’ve worn a mask in the past week when outside their home. The poll was conducted Oct. 11-19.
“This collective comfort was 2 ½ years in the making, but Americans arrived at it fitfully after setbacks due to new variants that reignited concern, causing many to reconsider social distancing practices at least temporarily,” the write-up concluded. “New variants are sure to emerge in the winter and will test Americans' more relaxed perspective.”