Most Atlantic Canadians intend to get vaccine: poll

A majority of Atlantic Canadians are likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it's available to them, a new poll found.

The poll, which was conducted by Halifax-based Narrative Research, included 2,742 Atlantic Canadians from the company's online panel, East Coast Voice. In accordance with CRIC Public Opinion Research Standards, a margin of error is not applied to the results.

The poll found that 81 per cent of participants intend to get the vaccine. The result is up two per cent compared to another poll conducted by the company in September.

“That's a big number,” said Margaret Chapman, chief operating officer at Narrative Research, in an interview.

“From similar polls that we've seen across the country, it's higher in Atlantic Canada than it is in the rest of Canada.”

An Angus Reid poll published Monday found that 48 per cent of Canadians are willing to immediately get the vaccine. About a third said they would wait before getting it eventually.

More people said they will “definitely” get the vaccine compared to the poll conducted in September. The number increased by close to 10 per cent in the December poll, which was conducted between Nov. 30 and Dec. 7.

During that time, several countries, such as Britain, approved the Pfizer–biontech vaccine. On Dec. 7, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the vaccine could reach Canadians as soon as the following week.

Analysis suggests a “high degree” of correlation between those who intend to get a vaccination once available and those who are concerned getting COVID-19.

MOST NOVA SCOTIANS CONCERNED

The poll found that around 80 per cent of participants on average are still concerned that they or someone in their immediate family would get

COVID-19. The results have not changed much between April and now.

Concern is greatest in Nova Scotia compared with the other Atlantic provinces. Boomers were also more concerned than younger participants.

Participants in New Brunswick were less likely to say they would get the vaccine compared to the rest of Atlantic Canada. They were also less likely to be concerned about getting COVID-19.

Chapman said the province has shown consistently low numbers in previous polls about vaccines, but she's not sure of the reason.

In a previous poll, Narrative Research asked people why they would not get the vaccine.

One of the reasons was because they wanted to wait and see if it was safe.

“I think some hesitancy on that front is because it's something new,” said Chapman.

Narrative Research also asked participants if they had people in their household who got tested for COVID-19. One-third of participants said ‘yes' compared to five per cent with that answer in April.

People aged 18-34 were more likely to have had some who got tested in their household.

Chapman said this reflects the increased testing since the beginning of the pandemic, especially Nova Scotia's testing strategy which was targeted at asymptomatic people in that age demographic.