Politics around the response become more entrenched — sparking sometimes violent fights over mask mandates in schools and in industries like air travel.

As the pandemic closes in on its second year, experts say COVID fatigue is becoming more widespread. It’s causing many people to stop taking precautions, like proper hand hygiene or social distancing, or assessing risk the way they once did.

“People have let down their guard. There’s a whole segment of the population that believes the pandemic is over,” said Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University.

What’s happening: One of the big problems is our expectations — and how often they’ve been forced to shift.