Most Americans say life is starting to return to pre-COVID normal, poll shows

Most Americans say their lives are at least approaching pre-pandemic normalcy, according to a recent study.

While 12% of adults think their life is the same as it was before the pandemic, 54% think their lives are somewhat the same, according to the poll, published Tuesday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and The SCAN Foundation.

A smaller proportion, 34%, think that their lives are not the same.

The poll was conducted in mid-May, when, as now, hospitalizations were rising nationally.

According to the survey, a slim majority of 51% of Americans think that getting a COVID-19 vaccine is essential for them, while 39% think that nearly all people need to receive the vaccine before things can go back to the way they were.

Fifty percent of Americans think that the availability of effective treatments for COVID-19 is essential for participating in public life. Only 22% think that wearing masks in public indoor places is essential to going back to pre-pandemic life, while 20% think regular testing is essential.