Public health advocates acknowledge fewer people are paying attention or heeding expert advice. Many — including White House officials — concede they’re now adapting their messages to the realities of a population with a waning appetite for warnings and mandates. Some say the messaging needs to shift to become shorter and simpler and even nod to a brighter future when the pandemic is over.

The risk of Americans tuning out during a surge, of course, is that it could prolong the pandemic, says Adriane Casalotti, chief of government and public affairs for the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

“They might be done with the pandemic — the pandemic’s not done with them,” she says.

Among patients and even for himself, Fortenbacher says the fatigue is palpable. “It’s just becoming very draining, emotionally draining, and it’s very politicized — and people are just getting tired,” he says.