Four in 10 Brits would be happy to always wear masks in public places

Millions of Brits are happy to live with covid, are prepared to always wear masks in public - and are also coming to terms with the increased complications of booking holidays.

As the government relaxes ‘Plan B’ restrictions in preparation to simply ‘live’ with covid rather than introduce more lockdowns, a study of 2,000 adults found 81 per cent agree this is the best way forward.

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More than half (59 per cent) are happy ‘living with covid’, with the average adult feeling this way for the last five months - despite soaring numbers over the winter and the introduction of more restrictions in December.

While more than seven in 10 are 'fed up' with the ever-changing rules and regulations and would rather accept the virus as part of everyday life instead.

And 40 per cent are okay with the fact they might have to always wear masks in public places, while 18 per cent no longer care if it means booking holidays are now 'complicated' and 'uncertain'.

Brits want some form of normality

Despite this, 23 per cent would oppose the idea if the government confirmed this decision.

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A spokesperson for lateral flow test provider, RapidTests, which commissioned the survey, said: "It's understandable people have had enough of how we've been living for the past two years and are keen to get back to ‘normal’.

“Our research has shown how adults are prepared to accept covid as part of their daily lives.

People are keen to enjoy making plans without the fear of last-minute cancellations and wasted money.”

Workplaces, international and domestic travel and live events are among the places people would most like to see restrictions come to an end – with nightclubs at the bottom of the list.

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Of those who are still working from home, 45 per cent miss their usual place of work to some degree.

It’s reached such a point that half of those polled don’t remember a time before the pandemic, where mask-wearing or travel restrictions weren’t the norm.

Booking a holiday is stressful

Nearly six in 10 have even stopped booking holidays altogether because it’s too stressful when worrying about delays or cancellations.

While 60 per cent have already experienced trips that have had to be postponed or changed.

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The research, conducted via OnePoll, also revealed just how many don’t feel covid is as much of a threat, with more than a third of those who are fully vaccinated believing themselves to be ‘pretty much immune’ to any serious symptoms of the virus.

In fact, of those who know they have caught covid at one stage or another, more than half said their symptoms were better than expected.

A spokesperson for RapidTests added: “It’s such a hard call to make as the vaccine has had a major impact on cases, but coronavirus does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

“It’s great that we have tests available to monitor the virus in hope that we can try and live as normal life as possible going forward.”

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