BATON ROUGE - There's a new term for those who are burnt out on following COVID-19 safety measures. 

People who have become apathetic about wearing masks and social distancing may be suffering from what experts call "COVID fatigue."

“I think people are getting tired of the restrictions -- the social distancing, the mask-wearing. Human beings are social people,” Connie DeLeo said, an infection prevention specialist at Baton Rouge General. 

With the pandemic lasting much longer than anyone originally anticipated, it is no surprise that some are beginning to taper off precautions. But with the winter months drawing closer, bringing with them the holidays and flu season, health experts are warning the public to stay vigilant despite the inconvenience. 

“So now we have to be extra vigilant during the fall and winter months coming, because we want to get together for the holidays. We don’t want to wear those masks. We don’t want to social distance. Yet now we have an added problem with both COVID and the flu,” DeLeo said. 

Click here for tips on how to manage your COVID fatigue.