Americans’ worries about infection rise as omicron spreads: poll

Americans’ fear about the spread of COVID-19 is on the rise amid the spread of the omicron variant, a new poll showed. 

The poll, conducted by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found that 36 percent of Americans said they were very or extremely worried that they or a family member would contract the virus, up from  25 percent in late October. 

Despite the uptick in concerns, fewer Americans said they were regularly wearing masks or isolating compared the beginning of the year, according to the survey. 

In February 2021, 72 percent of Americans were avoiding unnecessary travel, and 77 percent were staying out of large groups. But as of December, those figures stood at 53 percent and 57 percent, respectively. 

Masking also decreased as 57 percent of people surveyed wore a mask around others in December compared to 82 percent in February.

The poll included a sampling of 1,089 adults and was conducted between Dec. 2-7. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. 

The rising concerns and falling precautionary measures come as the U.S. has recently surpassed 800,000 COVID-19 deaths. Overall, 57 percent of the pandemic’s deaths occurred in 2021, and the U.S. accounts for 14 percent of global deaths from the virus.

The Biden administration and health officials are pushing for eligible Americans to receive their booster shots in an effort to combat the virus.

Earlier this month, President Biden said that he did not plan to combat the pandemic this winter with “shutdowns or lockdowns” but instead told Americans he would employ “more widespread vaccinations, boosters, testing and more.”