Activity outside of home hits highest point since pandemic began: poll

More Americans are engaging in activities outside the home than at any point since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a poll released Tuesday.

The Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index found that two-thirds of respondents, 66 percent, reported seeing family and friends in the past week while 61 percent said they dined out — both up 3 points from before Memorial Day and the highest since the start of the pandemic early last year.

There was also a decrease in concern for adhering to coronavirus measures such as social distancing, with 44 percent of respondents saying they stayed home and avoided others as much as possible. That represents a 12-point drop from two weeks ago and is the first time fewer than half said they were distancing, according to the poll.

The increase in activity comes as summer approaches and as more and more Americans get vaccinated against the coronavirus. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, nearly 64 percent of U.S. adults have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, while 53 percent are fully vaccinated. 

Most states have dropped almost all of their coronavirus mandates, including for masks and social distancing, as COVID-19 case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths have all fallen.

According to the Axios-Ipsos poll, Americans are becoming more comfortable with flying again, with 58 percent of those polled saying it poses a large or moderate risk, a 10-point decline from just over a month ago.

As restaurants and other activities open up, just 30 percent of respondents say going back to a pre-pandemic life is a risk, down 8 points from last month.

Americans also reported an uptick in their own mental health, with 17 percent reporting improved mental health in the last week and 19 percent saying their emotional health has improved. By comparison, 10 percent said their mental health had worsened and 13 percent reported a drop in their emotional health.

The survey of 1,027 U.S. adults was conducted June 4-7. It has a margin of error of 3 to 3.4 percentage points.