As COVID-19 rules end, what is 'normal life'?
Survey: Americans split on return to 'normal life' as COVID rules end
A man exits a retail store where a "mask required" sign is posted in Manhattan in July. Credit: Anthony Behar/Sipa USA via AP
While most U.S. adults believe the worst of the pandemic is behind us, many still worry about the negative consequences of lifting virus-related restrictions and keeping them in place, a new survey finds.
Newsday’s Rachelle Blidner writes that the survey, by nonprofit health organization Kaiser Family Foundation, finds about 61% of 1,502 adults sampled worry people who are immunocompromised will be left behind in a return to normal. Nearly half are concerned that lifting restrictions could lead to rising deaths in their communities and difficulty accessing medical care, according to the study, released last week.
Larger majorities — 65% and 63% — worry that if masking and testing requirements stay in place, kids' and teens’ mental health will suffer and local businesses will lose out.
As for when returning to normal will be safe, 35% said "now" at the time of the survey, which took place from Feb. 9 to 21. Another 32% said they expected that moment to come by the fall or earlier, while 26% said they believed it would be another year or more. About half of adults reported they're already living almost or largely normally, although 78% acknowledged "normal" looks different from before.
Meanwhile, in NYC: Most proof-of-vaccination rules end today.
Plus, are we reaching an endemic? Medical experts say as the virus numbers fall, Long Island and New York City may be at or close to herd immunity or an endemic stage of COVID-19.
This map shows the concentration of new virus cases reported in communities across Long Island, with Nassau data as of Tuesday and Suffolk data as of Saturday.
Search that map and view charts that show the latest local trends in vaccinations, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
See more coronavirus headlines below.
Erin Serpico is an assistant web producer who joined Newsday in November 2018. Originally from New Jersey, she now covers community events and produces local content for newsday.com while also helping run the homepage.
