78% of People aren’t anxious about COVID regardless of rising circumstances, Yahoo Information/YouGov ballot reveals

COVID-19 infections are on the rise in at least 35 U.S. states and territories, however that isn’t registering with most People. Regardless of a spike in COVID cases, a complete of 78% of People describe themselves as “not very anxious” or “not anxious in any respect” about getting the virus this summer season, in keeping with a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll.

The survey of 1,743 U.S. adults, which was performed from July 19 to 22, discovered that solely 4% of respondents are “very anxious,” 17% are “considerably anxious” and a couple of% say they already contracted the virus this summer season. Practically half of People (45%) say they aren’t in any respect involved.

The information that COVID circumstances are surging once more might come as a shock to most People, provided that 72% say they don’t seem to be following present experiences of the variety of COVID infections very intently (34%) or in any respect (38%).

Why aren’t individuals anxious about COVID?

Yahoo Life spoke to some public well being specialists to get their ideas on why People are unfazed by the virus. Right here’s what they are saying.

• We all know extra about COVID. “We’re a lot much less anxious or enthusiastic about COVID than we had been in 2020 or 2021 or 2022, and that is smart to me, as a result of many issues have modified over the previous few years,” Emily Smith, an affiliate professor with the George Washington College Milken Institute College of Public Well being, says. “We now have extra instruments in our toolbox to forestall and deal with COVID.”

• Extra circumstances are delicate. Dr. Jessica Justman, a professor of drugs and epidemiology at Columbia Mailman College of Public Well being, says it’s comprehensible that persons are much less involved. “Most individuals see that, now, after they get COVID or individuals they know get COVID, the sickness is milder [than] it had been earlier than. And that is mirrored within the present COVID-related hospitalization and dying charges, that are low now in comparison with the excessive peaks we noticed a couple of years in the past.”

• Individuals have COVID fatigue. Pablo Penaloza-MacMaster, affiliate professor of microbiology-immunology at Northwestern College, says individuals doubtless have some “behavioral fatigue” after greater than 4 years of COVID. “It’s understandably tough to remain on excessive alert about COVID-19 indefinitely,” he says. “The SARS-CoV-2 virus will doubtless stay within the human inhabitants indefinitely, and sooner or later, individuals need to restore normalcy of their life.”

Ought to we nonetheless be anxious?

However specialists say there are a couple of the reason why COVID ought to nonetheless be on our radar.

• Lengthy COVID continues to be a priority. “COVID isn’t all the time delicate; some individuals nonetheless get fairly sick,” Lisa Gralinski, an assistant professor of epidemiology with the College of North Carolina’s Gillings College of World Public Well being, says. “Even a gentle case can result in long COVID. We’re simply beginning to perceive the long-term penalties of being contaminated and so they aren’t good.”

• COVID can nonetheless be lethal in some circumstances. Although far fewer persons are dying of COVID now than they had been at the start of the pandemic, the virus can nonetheless be lethal — particularly for older and immunocompromised individuals. “SARS-CoV-2 continues to be a reason behind morbidity and mortality, so we should always nonetheless be involved about it, whereas understanding that the virus will doubtless keep within the human inhabitants perpetually,” Penaloza-MacMaster says. Justman factors out that the majority COVID deaths are amongst unvaccinated individuals, so she’s notably involved about those that haven’t been vaccinated or boosted.

• We must always nonetheless be taking precautions. “I do not personally advocate spending loads of time worrying about it,” Smith says. “Nevertheless, I undoubtedly do advocate taking some precautions to maintain you and your family and friends wholesome.” Staying dwelling when you’re sick, wearing a mask in order for you additional safety, and staying updated on vaccines can assist keep yourself and others healthy.