A new online poll by INNOVATIVE of 2,390 Canadians shows conflicting trends in underlying COVID-19 attitudes.
Canadians’ attention to COVID peaked in the earliest days of the first wave. After steadily declining from April to September, attention grew to a second peak in the last two weeks of December. However, while COVID cases are now increasing dramatically, attention remains flat. While many Canadians (87%) are at least somewhat following the news about COVID-19 closely, less than half (40%) are following the news very closely. The very closely levels are down from 47% in December and 63% last March.
This is not due to rising fatigue. While our measure of fatigue grew in January and February, fatigue eased in March and remains at roughly the same level in April.
In conflict with the sustained easing of engagement is a small rise in fear. Canadians are more concerned that they and vulnerable friends and family may catch COVID-19 as well as afraid that COVID-19 might get worse if we don’t do more.
For more information and to read the full report, click here.
