When it comes to connecting with people who remain hesitant or resistant to getting vaccinated, government leaders will need to make way for local health providers and average Canadians. These are the findings of a new INNOVATIVE online survey conducted from May 18th to May 26th, 2021, with a weighted sample size of 2,000 Canadian residents.
While 79% of Canadians have either already taken their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine or definitely plan to do so (19%), 8% remain Hesitant saying they a very or somewhat likely to take the shot and 12% are Resisters who say they are at least somewhat unlikely to get a shot.
Hesitant Canadians are somewhat less willing to trust health and political authorities than people who are keen to get the vaccine. At least 3-in-10 tend not to trust information from Health Canada and their local public health agency and skepticism grows towards other health players and, especially, politicians and vaccine makers. The Hesitant place their trust in front line health providers and their local hospitals.
Resisters are even more skeptical. Two thirds do not trust their local health agency and skepticism grows for other health agencies and officials, politicians and vaccine makers. The only two groups a majority of the Hesitant trust are front-line health providers and friends and family. Hospitals are trusted by 41%.
If governments want to maximize the uptake of vaccine, they need to give front line health providers and local hospitals the lead role in encouraging the Hesitant and Resisters to get their shots. It will also help vaccine uptake if governments can arm people who are getting shots for conversations with those who are holding back.
To read the full report, click here!
