Poll: Majority of US adults concerned about delta variant

A majority of U.S. adults are concerned about the delta coronavirus variant but have not significantly changed their behavior because of it, according to the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

Seventy-two percent of U.S. adults reported being concerned about the variant, with 36 percent extremely concerned and 36 percent somewhat concerned.

The poll shows 84 percent of Americans have at least heard of the delta variant but only 1 in 10 are very familiar with the variant that has led to a global spike in cases.

Despite the variant putting some other countries back on lockdown, the U.S. is almost completely back to normal and citizens are not changing their behavior.

Only 41 percent of adults believe Fourth of July celebrations pose a high or moderate risk of coronavirus transmission, compared to 78 percent last year.

The number of people who said they wear their masks all or some of the time when outside their home also dropped to 55 percent, the lowest number since the Index began in April 2020.

By the numbers: The CDC projects that more than a quarter of cases spreading in the U.S. came from the delta variant in the two-week period ending in June 19. That’s a jump from the estimated 10 percent and 2.5 percent from the two previous two-week periods.