One in Three Americans Say "COVID-19 Pandemic Is Over"... Half Believe "We Can't Go Back to How It Was"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Although COVID-19 is showing signs of resurgence in the United States, it has been found that one in three Americans perceives the COVID-19 pandemic as over. On the other hand, half of the respondents expressed a negative outlook by answering that the point at which daily life will fully return to pre-COVID-19 conditions "will never happen."

According to Gallup, a polling organization, on the 23rd (local time), a survey conducted from the 25th of last month to the 2nd of this month targeting 3,995 American adults showed that 34% of respondents said the pandemic is over. This figure exceeds the previous highest point of 29% recorded in June last year by 5 percentage points.

By political affiliation, 66% of Republican supporters and 10% of Democratic supporters agreed with this view. Among independents, 39% believed the pandemic is over.

When asked whether COVID-19 would continue to disrupt travel, work, and classes, 40% of respondents said it would last until the end of the year. Following that, 34% expected it to extend beyond this year, 16% said for the next few months, and 11% said for the next few weeks.

Based on the current point in time, Americans assessed that life has somewhat returned to pre-pandemic normal. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said daily life has somewhat recovered but not fully normalized, and 21% said life has completely returned to normal.

However, regarding the timing of a perfect return to normal life, 50% expressed a negative outlook, saying it will never happen. Twenty-one percent said it has already returned, followed by 16% who said next year, and 6% who said within a few months.

Gallup explained, "Americans are relatively more positive about the end of the pandemic than at any other point," adding, "Since this expectation briefly appeared last summer as well, it is necessary to monitor the trend over the next few months."