More than half of Canadians worry that the fall wave of COVID-19 will lead to the return of significant restrictions on public life, such as mask-wearing mandates, social distancing and reduced gathering sizes, a new Nanos survey shows.
Nanos Research found that 55 per cent of Canadians are worried or somewhat worried about a decline in COVID-19 transmission leading to a return to the restrictions on public life that largely ended in Ontario in early 2022.
Among 1,002 randomly selected Canadian adults, 16 per cent told Nanos they were worried about a fall wave that would lead to the return of restrictions, while 39 per cent said they were “somewhat worried”.
Twenty-three percent of those surveyed said they were not worried about the restrictions returning, 19 percent said they were “somewhat unconcerned” and two percent were unsure.
The number of respondents fearing new restrictions was highest in Atlantic Canada, Ontario and Quebec and lowest in the Prairies and British Columbia
Transmission of COVID-19 in Ontario is on the rise, with several leading epidemiologists and the province’s scientific advisory panel calling it a seventh wave.
But the Ford government and the province’s official public health leadership are looking ahead to the fall, when a new campaign is planned to boost the COVID-19 vaccine to counter transmission.
The same survey asked respondents about their travel plans this summer in light of continued delays, cancellations and lost luggage issues at Canadian airports.
It found that 61 percent of those surveyed had no plans to travel abroad this summer, and 15 percent said they wanted to travel abroad but had no plans.
Twelve percent said they had plans to travel abroad this summer, while nine percent said they either had travel plans and canceled them or had plans they might cancel.
Sixty-nine percent of respondents age 55 and over said they had no desire to travel abroad, compared to 53.4 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds.
The number of people with international travel plans still in place was highest in Quebec and Ontario, at 14 and 13 percent, respectively, and lowest in the Atlantic and Prairie regions, at 9.5 percent and 7 .8 percent.
The survey was conducted between June 30 and July 4, reaching mobile and landline subscribers through live agents who then directed respondents to complete a survey online.
The sample is weighted relative to the most recent census to ensure it is geographically and demographically representative.
The survey is considered to be accurate +/- 3.1 percent, 19 times out of 20.
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