Will The Virus Be ‘Over’? Most Americans Think Not

ATLANTA (AP) — Will the pandemic ever really be “over”?

And what would that mean? A new AP-NORC poll shows that few Americans – just 15% – say they’ll consider the pandemic over only when COVID-19 is largely eliminated.

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By contrast, 83% say they’ll feel like the pandemic is over when it’s largely a mild illness, like the seasonal flu.

The AP-NORC poll also shows that for many Americans, strict precautions like avoiding socializing and travel are making a comeback because of the omicron variant.

And the poll underscored what authorities say are alarmingly low vaccination rates for children ages 5 to 11.