COVID-19 CARELESSNESS
Which Canadians say pandemic threat is ‘overblown'? And how are they behaving in turn?

Those most skeptical of the outbreak least likely to engage in hygiene and distancing actions

Since the novel coronavirus took root in Canadian communities, opinion about the threat it poses has evolved: from initial curiosity and skepticism to widespread acceptance and anxiety of the power and speed with which it spreads.

But even as the number of cases in Canada exceeds 5,500 and now touches almost every part of the nation, one in every eight adults is of the view that the threat of a coronavirus outbreak is "overblown".

Now, a new study from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute shows this cohort - more cavalier in their approach to the virus that has ground Canadian society to a halt and caused an economic crisis - differs significantly from those who say they take the risk seriously, especially when it comes to distancing and hygiene.

Those who say the attention and worry around COVID-19 is undue are less likely to be staying away from others, from public spaces, or to be regularly washing their hands.

Read the rest of the story here: www.angusreid.org/covid-19-serious-vs-overblown