According to the latest CivicScience data, a growing number of American (49%) adults expect to practice social distancing for 6+ months (as of last week). This number keeps hitting record highs each week. It seems like Americans are accepting this as a new norm, so to speak.

Perhaps, in part, this has to do with more people reporting that they personally know someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. 

What’s interesting is we’re seeing the largest number of people retreating into quarantine since we have back in March at the very start of the pandemic in the U.S.

And when asking adults specifically about how they have directly responded to their own locality opening back up, we see that the majority of people (64%) didn’t resume normal activities, and 10% say they did at first but they have since taken a step back. Still, 19% say they resumed all normal activities and are continuing to do so.

When tracking comfort with returning to dining experiences at restaurants, again, a growing number of people say they wouldn’t be comfortable for 6 or more months from now. However, we do observe a small increase week over week in the number of people who say ‘now’, but it’s likely a blip.

During the course of the pandemic thus far, 22% of adults surveyed say they’ve eaten at a restaurant, 41% have ordered takeout or delivery, and another 16% say they’ve done both.

The numbers go down a bit when just asking about their plans for the next week, though: 14% say they plan to dine in, and another 40% say they do not plan to do any of these. This could point to growing discomfort as well as localities shutting back down.

Overall, CivicScience tracks these activities, and hundreds of others, when it comes to consumer behavior and attitudes amid the new world we’re living in. We’ll report as things change.