Americans are less worried about contracting and spreading the coronavirus than they were six months ago, as the once-gaining variant of Omicron retreats in the United States and much of the world, according to a new poll by the Associated Press and NORC. Public Relations Research.
The poll also showed support for mask-wearing mandates, which are rapidly waning across much of the United States, is waning.
Of nearly 1,300 adults surveyed in mid-February, 24 percent said they were “extremely or very concerned” about themselves or a family member who tested positive for the virus. In December, when Omicron appeared and quickly became the world’s dominant option, 36 percent of respondents expressed this concern.
The number of Americans supporting mask-wearing mandates is also declining. Last August, 55 percent of respondents said they approved of mandatory mask-wearing, compared to about 50 percent who said they support it now, representing a 9 percent change in the number of people who agree.
According to the poll, vaccinated Americans are more likely to support mandates, as are Democrats, regardless of vaccination status. Nearly 80 percent of Democrats are in favor of Americans wearing masks when they are around other people outside their homes. But only 22 percent of Republicans agree with that view; in fact, over 50 percent of Republicans strongly disagree with the notion.
A growing number of states have already removed the mandatory use of masks in most indoor settings, including entertainment venues and workplaces. And while the number of cases is only a fraction of what it was at Omicron’s peak, nearly 52,000 people are hospitalized with Covid nationwide, according to the New York Times database. This is a decrease of about 44 percent over the past two weeks.
Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new rules that most Americans can take off their masks. The agency also approved an end to social distancing.
While mask-wearing requirements in schools remain in place in many states, some of these restrictions, such as those in California, Oregon and Washington, will expire in the next few weeks.
On Sunday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced tentative plans to lift mandatory mask-wearing in early March for the city’s largest school district. He also said he intends to lift vaccination requirements in restaurants, gyms and movie theaters if case numbers remain low.
His announcement was welcomed by some, including businesses eager for visitors and tourists. But some health experts see the lifting of vaccination rules as premature, citing the possibility of future options and the reshaping of the pandemic in the past.
Adil Hassan contributed to the report.