'It's a moving chess board': Covid reopening creates new anxieties - CNN

On the rare occasions she did have to go to the office during the peak of the pandemic, she would get up at four or five in the morning, so she could get her work done and leave before other people came in.

Things have opened up in Georgia, like in much of the country, as states have eased or lifted mask mandates and social distancing requirements, and more and more people are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Tracking Covid-19 vaccines in the US

That's creating new anxiety for Lawson, who has been slow to return to her old life.

"I'm vaccinated.

But 61.5% of people over 12 have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine and 50.5% are fully vaccinated.

Lawson said her office is still trying to decide when employees will return full time, but she is going into the office more often.

That takes extra coordination with her coworkers, Lawson said, because only one member of her team can come in at a time.

"I feel like I'm playing chess, human chess," she said.

So I think it's that sort of unknown that's still causing people to feel distressed."

She said an APA survey conducted earlier this year found that about half of adults -- both vaccinated and unvaccinated -- reported feeling anxiety or discomfort about returning to their pre-pandemic lifestyle.

The suddenness of the reopening can also be a source of stress, even for people who are excited for life to get back to normal.

"I recall feeling just like a normal person having a nice meal, so that was a welcome relief."

She said she was a little unsure, at first, about whether she should wear a mask until she got to the table.

"I have to admit, I ended up quickly putting it out of my head and feeling like a normal human being, and that was really awesome," she said.

Reid said she's reasonably confident that most of the people she encounters are vaccinated, but she still keeps a mask with her at all times.

She said she's getting ready to fly to Florida for a beach weekend with her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law -- something she wouldn't have considered not too long ago.

Wright recommended that people who are feeling uncomfortable as things reopen should take small steps like going to the grocery store or having dinner with a small group of friends to help prepare.

She said people will adjust at their own pace, so they shouldn't be too hard on themselves or others.

"I think we've seen a lot of judgment over the last year, a lot of criticism of how people are living their lives and approaching the pandemic and I don't think that that's very effective," she said.

Lawson said she's tried to focus on being grateful for the good things in life and is taking a lot of small steps, by getting out and exercising.

"I'm a FitBit user.