HOSPITAL CASES HIT NEW HIGH
■ Virulent variants 60 per cent of cases ■ Transmission risk low in schools ■ Staffing medical facilities a concern ■ Travellers arrived with COVID-19 ■ Vancouver firm in fight
More than half of Canadians support the federal government's three-day hotel stay for returning air travellers, but almost as many think it's ineffective, according to a new poll Thursday.
The Angus Reid Institute poll found 58 per cent of respondents said the selfpaid, three-day stay was necessary, while 34 per cent said it was unnecessary and eight per cent weren't sure.
It also found 48 per cent think the plan is ineffective, compared with 30 per cent who think it works. Only five per cent say it's really effective. Earlier this month, it was revealed that more than 100 passengers at Vancouver airport had refused the government's mandatory quarantine. Those people face up to $3,000 a day in fines.
The poll found 29 per cent think the government should discontinue the three-day hotel protocol, while 52 per cent would keep the policy in place until at least September.
Other findings include that half of respondents (51 per cent) still support a full ban on international travel, though Angus Reid notes that this is a 14-point drop compared with January levels.
When it comes to the U.S.-Canada border, few Canadians want it to reopen any time soon, according to the poll. Thirty-one per cent want it closed until at least the end of the year, while 28 per cent want it closed until at least summer, and 35 per cent say wait until the fall. Sixteen per cent say open it this month.
The institute conducted the survey of 1,577 Canadian adults from April 5-8.