Almost Two-Thirds of Canadians Concerned about COVID-19

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Almost Two-Thirds of Canadians Concerned about COVID-19

More than half say public health authorities are doing a good job

Toronto, March 6th  -  In a random sampling of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ among 1112 Canadian voters, about two-thirds (BTM2: 62%) say they are concerned about COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, with a quarter (25%) saying they are very concerned.

About 4 in 10 (TOP2: 38%) say they are not concerned with the virus, with about one-sixth (16%) saying they aren't concerned at all.

Those under 25 (70%) are the most likely to express concerns about COVID-19, slightly above those 65+ (66%). Ontarians (66%) and residents of the Atlantic provinces (68%) are also likely to express concern.

Those aged 25-34 (51%) are the least likely to express concern, well above the other age categories. Residents of the prairies (MB/SK)(43%) and BC (44%) are also less likely to express concern than residents of other provinces.

Public Health System gets a passing grade

 More than half (TOP2: 58%) say they rate Canada's public-health system's response to the virus so far as good, with a quarter (24%) saying it's very good.

Only a quarter (BTM2: 28%) rate the response as not good, with about one-sixth (15%) saying it's not been good at all.

Respondents aged 65+ (70%) are most likely to say that the public-health response has been good, as are residents of Atlantic Canada (68%).

Those under 25 (32%), 35-44 (30%), and 45-54 (29%), are most likely to say the response has not been good, as well as those living in the prairies (MB/SK)(39%) (which is actually tied for the number of prairies' residents who feel the response has been good (40%)).

One-sixth think they've heard that people of Asian-ancestry are more susceptible to COVID-19

One-sixth (14%) feel that they've heard those with Asian-ancestry are more susceptible to COVID-19...which is false.

A strong majority (70%) know that people of Asian-ancestry are no more likely, or less likely, than anyone else to be susceptible to COVID-19.

A few (6%) said people of Asian-ancestry are less susceptible to COVID-19, which is also false. About 1 in 10 (10%) said they do not know.

Those under 25 (27%) are most likely by far to say they've heard people of Asian-ancestry are more susceptible to COVID-19. In fact, they're more than twice as likely to say it than any other age category.

Most know a facemask isn't an effective way to avoid the virus

Two-thirds (65%) say, correctly, that a facemask isn't an effective way to avoid the virus. One-fifth (18%) say, incorrectly, that a facemask is an effective way to avoid the virus, while a similar proportion (17%) say they don't know.

Those most likely to incorrectly say a facemask is an effective way to avoid the virus include those under the age of 25 (31%) or living in Québec (22%).

Eight in 10 know frequent hand-washing is an effective way to avoid COVID-19

Eight in 10 (83%) correctly say that frequent hand-washing is an effective way to avoid COVID-19, while 1 in 10 (8%) say it isn't, and a similar proportion say they don't know (9%).

Those most likely to say, incorrectly, that frequent hand-washing is not an effective way to avoid COVID-19 include ages 25-34 (9%), 35-44 (8%), and 65+ (11%).

Most not stockpiling supplies because of the virus...but...

Eight in 10 (79%) say they aren't stockpiling supplies such as food, water, or toilet paper, but one-fifth (17%) say they are. A few (4%) say they don't know.

Those aged 25 and younger (18%) and those aged 65+ (21%) are most likely to say they're stockpiling supplies, as are residents of BC (25%).

Only a third identify 20 seconds as recommended hand-washing time

A third (32%)  were able to identify  20 seconds as the optimal hand-washing time, which is the generally recommended duration.

Those under 25 (35%), 55-64 (37%), and 65+ (35%) were most likely to correctly identify 20 seconds, as were residents of Ontario (39%), the prairies (MB/SK)(37%) or BC (38%). 

“The majority of Canadians are concerned with COVID-19, and most haven't been caught up in any of the misinformation about the virus,” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, President of Forum Research. "One note of concern, however, are the responses of young people; not only are they the age group most likely to say they're worried about the virus, and think public-health organizations aren't doing a good job, they're also most likely to draw a few incorrect conclusions about the virus, as well."

Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.