Most Americans say COVID-19 not yet under control: poll

NEW YORK, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Most Americans say some restrictions on normal activities should remain in place to try to control the coronavirus, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, which has found that public wariness of the pandemic lingers even as federal health officials and a growing roster of governors have softened mask advice.

The nationwide survey also shows that, two years into a health crisis that has claimed nearly 950,000 lives in the United States, bipartisan majorities think the virus is only "somewhat under control" or "not at all" controlled. Even so, most say they have fully or mostly returned to their normal, pre-coronavirus lives, reported The Washington Post on Tuesday.

Perceptions of the dangers posed by the coronavirus and attitudes toward restrictions reveal substantial partisan differences, according to the poll. Taken together, just over a third of U.S. adults say the coronavirus pandemic is "mostly" or "completely" under control, but 29 percent of Democrats say they hold that view, compared with 41 percent of Republicans.

"The 34 percent overall who say they regard the pandemic as largely controlled is among the highest proportion since surveys began tracking such attitudes early in the pandemic," said the report. Yet nearly 6 in 10 U.S. adults think it is more important to control the virus, with some restrictions in daily life, while 4 in 10 prefer no restrictions.

The poll was conducted immediately before the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new framework on Friday based on a revised set of metrics that dramatically reduces the areas of the country where the public health agency recommends people wear masks.