As COVID-19 vaccines continue to become available, more Americans report that they are re-emerging into society and self-quarantining less.
Though the endpoint of the pandemic is unclear, very few of those who participated in the Axios-Ipsos poll said they planned to stop wearing masks in public and diligently washing hands after they’ve been vaccinated. March 13 was the one-year anniversary of the pandemic.
Here are the poll’s five main findings:
- The number of Americans engaging in social interactions outside the home is increasing. At the same time, the number of Americans self-quarantining, that is, staying at home and avoiding contact with others, has dropped to the lowest point since late October.
- The biggest personal benefits for people this year are spending more time at home and spending less, or saving more, money. However, there are some underlying differences that illustrate how Americans have varying personal or societal support systems.
- For most, the biggest signifier of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was their state issuing its first stay-at-home order, more so than the declaration of a national emergency or global pandemic.
- Though a clear start of the pandemic exists for many, it remains to be seen how and when people will “return to normal.” The number of Americans expecting to return to normal within the next six months, or sooner, is increasing. However, most will continue to take recommended safety precautions even after being vaccinated.
- Recent studies have shown the pandemic is changing the way we dream. According to our poll, one in three Americans report experiencing strange or vivid dreams in the past month, and a quarter have had stressful or frightening dreams. Fewer than one in ten have had coronavirus-specific dreams, such as forgetting to wear a mask or becoming infected.
