Majority of Canadians don’t have sympathy for unvaccinated who get sick from COVID: poll

A new poll examining how vaccinated Canadians view the unvaccinated suggests most do not have sympathy for unvaccinated individuals who become seriously ill with COVID-19.

The Maru Public Opinion poll found almost half of respondents believe the unvaccinated are responsible for overwhelming the health care system, while 40 per cent found they are the people holding Canadians back from having a new normal life.

Just over 45 per cent said they didn’t have sympathy for unvaccinated people who die from COVID-19.

Just over one in four people believe the unvaccinated are “good people with legitimate reasons and concerns” while 12 per cent called them heroes of free speech and choice.

The same poll surveyed why the unvaccinated, about 10 per cent of the eligible population, are not getting the vaccine. Forty-five per cent of respondents said they are defending their civil liberty to make a choice for themselves.

Another 42 per cent said they are waiting on new data to see if it is truly safe while 32 per cent believe their immune system could beat COVID-19 alone. Those who are anxious or scared of what the vaccine could do to them represented 28 per cent of those surveyed.

Fewer respondents (22 per cent) didn’t want the government telling them what to do while 21 per cent are concerned about the potential impact to their genetic structure.

Just one in 10 or nine percent believe COVID-19 is a hoax and is just a bad flu, not a killer.

The vaccination rate in Canada for those eligible stands at just over 88 per cent. This survey found approximately nine per cent refused to get a COVID vaccine.

The majority of Canadians, 66 per cent, believe in mandatory vaccinations for everybody five years of age and older, but over 80 per cent believe the country should allow for exemptions. Seventy-seven per cent believe the exemptions should be those with legitimate and diagnosed medical reasons.

When it comes to how to tackle the unvaccinated in Canada, the majority, 77 per cent, thought they should be restricted from entering public spaces and premises such as restaurants, cinemas, libraries, liquor and cannabis stores, and various retail outlets.

Similar to a Maru Public Opinion poll last week, 61 per cent agreed the unvaccinated should pay some sort of health tax. Quebec has already introduced a health surcharge for the unvaccinated.

Most (67 per cent) disagreed with restricting access to health care for the unvaccinated and with making those who haven’t received the vaccine serve up to five days as part of a jail sentence for endangering others/overwhelming healthcare system.

The poll was conducted on Jan. 14-15 using 1,506 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada online panellists and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.