B.C. launches province-wide survey to gather feedback on COVID-19 response

VANCOUVER -- Health officials launched a province-wide survey to help gather feedback from the public that will inform the decisions that are made about the pandemic in the weeks and months ahead.

The survey, called "Your story, our future," will be open until May 31 to all British Columbians who are 18 and older. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete and can be done on any tablet, computer or mobile device.

The survey is currently available in English, simplified Chinese and Punjabi.

• Take the survey here

For those unable to fill out the survey online or who need assistance in another language, respondents can also call 1-833-707-1900 and take the survey over the phone. The line is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"We've learned a lot about the virus," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. We have learned a lot about transmission. We learned a lot about how to care for people how manage outbreaks. But there are still many, many questions that we still need to answer and understand."

Henry said the survey will collect feedback on British Columbians' experiences and actions during the pandemic, and the information gathered will help inform the decisions made in the future. She also added the survey aims to help understand the "unintended consequences" of the measures taken to try to control the outbreak of the virus.

"It will help us gather valuable information about how COVID-19 has impacted the people of B.C.," Health Minister Adrian Dix. "It will also assist us as we continue to deal with this in the days and weeks and months, and indeed, years to come." Dix described local data as "essential" for public health planning and added it's another step people can take to help with the response to the pandemic.

"We always need to learn and prepare for the future," said Dix..

Respondents will also have the opportunity to sign up to participate in a serology study that will examine immunity across the population to COVID-19.

Results will be made available in the "early summer," according to the BCCDC. People who opted to participate in a future phase of the survey will be contacted directly by email.