Vaccinated people viewed more favourably than the unvaccinated: poll
A new poll suggests tensions between those who are vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who aren't are growing. Possibly replacing previous divisions.
The Association for Canadian Studies commissioned a poll which surveyed 1,159 people online from Sept. 10 to 12, 2021. The results show that 77% of those surveyed had negative views of the unvaccinated while just 4% thought poorly of those with the vaccine.
Jack Jedwab is the president of the association and says at this point, "this relationship is the key focus for a lot of Canadians, and it's the one where Canadians are feeling the most animosity of any other relationship."
The association says it's the first poll of this kind that it has conducted and to monitor trends, it will likely repeat the survey in the future.
Another finding, almost 25 per cent of those who aren’t immunized see other non-immunized people negatively. Online polls don't have a margin of error but comparatively a probability sample of 1,549 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.52 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
"My suspicion is that if you're unvaccinated you probably don’t want to be in a room with another 50 people are unvaccinated so there's going to be a fair degree of mistrust, within that group as well," added Jedwab.
Scott Lear, a professor in the faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University said that some public health policy and messaging, which blamed young people and the unvaccinated for increasing infection rates, could be deepening frustrations. Lear said there are things both unvaccinated and vaccinated people can't do, leading to a sense of loss of control.
"And when that happens, we're probably looking for lightning rods to put that anger (on)," he said.
Lear also noted anti-vaxxers may only make up a small portion of those who aren't vaccinated. He suggests talking to loved ones who aren't immunized with empathy and not to blame or shame them. He says that's particularly important in relationships you want to keep.
"Of those people who are unvaccinated there's a chunk that can be swayed. But they just need the right reasons." he added.
As of Monday the Ministry of Health noted 87.7 per cent of eligible people 12 and older had been vaccinated. A tweet by Health Minister Adrian Dix also noted that as of 11 a.m., 3,202,595 British Columbians have created a BC Vaccine Card.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.