Americans are taking fewer precautions in the second year of the pandemic.

As the United States enters its third year of the pandemic, fewer Americans are reporting wearing masks in recent months, according to a survey. Published on Tuesday By the Associated Press and NORC.

According to the survey of 1,082 U.S. adults from March 17 to March 21, about 44 percent of Americans reported wearing masks often outside their homes this month, with nearly two-thirds during the peak of the Omicron wave in January. .

Only a third of Americans say they stay away from others as much as possible this month, while more than half just two months ago. About 40 percent in March said they continued to avoid non-essential travel, up from 60 percent in January.

According to the survey, people aged 60 and over reported taking action against the pandemic more than two years ago.

Andrew Noymer, a professor of public health at the University of California, Irvine, said the survey results reflected the country’s recession to the pandemic, with U.S. caseloads at their lowest point since the winter Omicron surge.

“Partly fatigue,” he said, “partly because they have less mandate to take action by the CDC.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested By February, most Americans could stop wearing masks.

Dr. Noymer added that the survey shows that “Americans are less interested in masking everywhere they go outside of their homes,” now and in the years to come.

Professor of epidemiology and global public health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Arnold S. Monto said that going forward, Covid vaccines will be one of the best ways to control the pandemic and reduce caseloads.