Most feel it’ll be a while before life is normal: poll

British Columbians most pessimistic in Canada about post-pandemic reality

It appears British Columbians hold the most pessimistic view of whether life will quickly return to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey.

Only four per cent of B.C. respondents believe life will return to normal, the lowest percentage of all provinces, while 66 per cent say it will be some time before that happens. Still, 27 per cent believe life will never be the same and three per cent are unsure, according to the survey conducted by the Association for Canadian Studies and presented by Leger.

Other aspects of the survey indicate B.C. people have perhaps adjusted well to the new reality ushered in by COVID-19, with the majority welcoming the measures put in place to halt the pandemic.

Some 44 per cent of B.C. respondents believe we’ve reached the end of the first wave of the pandemic, while 40 per cent say no. Still 16 per cent are unsure.

In comparison, 43 per cent of Canadians feel the first wave is over, while 42 per cent say no and 15 per cent are unsure. South of the border, 29 per cent of American respondents say the first wave is over, while 55 per cent recognize the coronavirus isn’t yet under control.

As well, an overwhelming percentage agree that a second wave of the virus is likely to hit at some point.

Some 77 per cent of British Columbians are preparing for the second wave, while nine per cent are skeptical about whether it will materialize. Some 14 per cent remain unsure. Those numbers are in line with the rest of Canada, where 74 per cent say there will be a second wave and 12 per cent don’t believe so.

The majority of B.C. residents, 70 per cent, supports the provincial health officer’s pace of maintaining physical distancing and self-isolation measures, while 19 per cent feel health officials should be moving faster to relax guidelines and 11 per cent feel we should be moving even slower.

Across the country, 64 per cent say the pace should be maintained, while 14 per cent say officials should move quicker and 22 per cent say they should move slower to relax guidelines.

Regardless of feelings about first and second waves, it appears many have accepted that physical distancing is here to stay for the near future, whether it’s two metres or less. Some 77 per cent of B.C. residents say the current recommendation of two metres of physical distancing should remain in place, while nine per cent say it could be relaxed to 1.5 metres, such as in Europe.

Still, a smaller group (six per cent) say it should be reduced to one metre, the minimum required by the World Health Organization, and five per cent say physical distancing should be scrapped.

Exactly half of B.C. respondents feel masks should be mandatory for confined spaces such as grocery stores, shopping malls or public transit, while 36 per cent disagree and 14 per cent aren’t sure.

The survey took place from June 19-21 and asked 1,521 Canadians and 1,002 Americans who are members of an online panel to chime in.

The survey is weighted using the 2016 census, and for comparison, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 100.