Most Americans don’t expect life to get back to pre-COVID normal for at least six months

While most Americans are eager to get a coronavirus vaccine, they don’t anticipate getting back to something like their pre-COVID lives anytime soon, according to a new Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

From this Index, it has been found that:

1. Two-thirds (65%) of Americans do not expect to get back to something like their normal, pre-COVID life for at least six months (around late Summer). Almost a third believe it will not happen until next year.

• Older (65+) Americans and Republicans tend to be more optimistic about a quick return to normalcy. Democrats and people from less affluent households (less than $50k income) are more likely to believe it will take longer.

• Expectations for receiving the coronavirus vaccine generally line up with the timeline for back to normal, with most Americans expecting it to be available in the next three (21%), six (25%), or more than six (18%) months.

2. Among Americans who have already received the coronavirus vaccine, most continue to observe the same precautions as other, non-vaccinated Americans.

• Vaccinated Americans are engaging in similar levels of social activity compared to all Americans (29% have gone out to eat, 36% visited friends and relatives).

• Virtually all (97%) vaccinated Americans report wearing a mask when they left home in the last week.

3. Americans are very concerned about the new strains of coronavirus that may be more transmissible or dangerous. However, there is little evidence that behavior has changed to adapt.

• Over half of Americans (56%) are extremely or very concerned about the new coronavirus strains, and most (83%) are at least somewhat concerned. This concern is widely shared across age, race, and party.

• However, there is little indication Americans are changing their behavior to adapt. Trends in socializing outside the home are unchanged and only 15% report wearing two masks some or all of the time when leaving the home as an extra safety precaution.

To read the full article at www.ipsos.com click here.

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