Canadian Covid-19 Alarm

The findings from a national survey released today from Maru/Blue Public Opinion conducted by the Maru Syndicated division COVID Tracking study, demonstrates that many Canadians are sounding the alarm with the recent jagged spike in COVID-19 cases being reported across the country. In fact, the level of concern on a series of tracked measures (13) is higher than at any time since May 8, 2020.

And when it comes to how Canadians are feeling right now, the emotional toll is evident: there has been a significant downturn over the past month with positive feelings now at their lowest level since April 7, 2020. Further, optimism about having a COVID-19 vaccine available sometime in 2020 has dropped to its lowest level since tracking began in mid-March (21%). And even if the vaccine were available, only half (49%) of Canadians would take it now if recommended by the government to do so, with one in seven (16%--5 million adults) flat-out refusing to take the vaccine, and the remaining one-third (35%) skeptical, especially about the manufacture and how bad the virus may be forcing a need to have a needle at the time.

Underscoring all the measures taken, six in 10 (60%) of Canadians are concerned that there is not enough trust in information out there for them to make decisions about COVID-19. It may well be the case that many Canadians are confused with different levels of governments and health officials making overlapping or apparently contradictory and inconsistent recommendations and rulings. Those most likely to have a trust deficit (60%), are from Manitoba/Saskatchewan (74%), followed by those from Ontario and Atlantic Canada (each at 62%), Alberta (61%), British Columbia (58%), and Québec (54%).

As COVID-19 cases are increasing across the country, three quarters (74%) of Canadians are now more concerned about the health care system’s ability to handle the current COVID-19 situation (up five points at 69% in mid-August, 2020) and is the highest recorded since mid-April, 2020 (the all time highest was at 87% back in mid-March, 2020).

And the confidence that things are going to get better anytime soon is deteriorating: seven in 10 (68%) Canadians believe that things are going to get worse before they get better when it comes to the conditions and impact of COVID-19 where they live. This is the highest rating since tracking began in mid-March 2020— and of recent, up 15 points from 53% during the week of August 21, 2020 and up 21 points from 47% during the week of July 7, 2020. This perspective is highest among those who live in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (73%) and Québec (72%), followed by those in both Alberta and Ontario (70% each), British Columbia (67%), and only one third of the population (33%) in Atlantic Canada where there have been minimal cases of COVID19.