For some, returning to pre-COVID life is harder than we expected

“Every time I see people eating out or hanging out with their friends unmasked, I cringe and feel hopeless,” Bernstein said. “I hate feeling like this, but unfortunately for me and many others, I think this looming sense of dread will be with us for a long time.” A recent survey by the American Psychological Assn. found that 49% of Americans feel uneasy about adjusting to in-person interactions once the pandemic ends. Similarly, 46% said they don’t feel comfortable going back to their pre-pandemic life. In both cases, those who felt trepidation were just as likely to be vaccinated as not, said Vaile Wright, the association's senior director for healthcare innovation. “This suggests that the vaccine in and of itself is not an anxiety reducer, or at least not an anxiety eliminator,” said Wright, who worked on the study. “We have been in this routine for a year, and to change out of it is going to take some time.”