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Cautious Canadians increasingly wearing masks, fear second wave of COVID: Poll

Jun 9, 2020 | 2:03 AM

OTTAWA — A new poll suggests Canadians are increasingly wearing protective face masks as they emerge from months of isolating at home to curb the spread of COVID-19.

And it suggests that fear of a second wave of infections as bad or worse than the first wave may be behind their increased caution.

Just over half of respondents to the Leger and Association for Canadian Studies survey said they have worn masks to go grocery shopping, 45 per cent to go to the pharmacy, 17 per cent at work, 14 per cent on public transit and 12 per cent when they’ve gone for walks.

In each case, the percentage saying they have worn masks has gone up by two to eight points in one week.

Fifty-three per cent — up two points — said masks should be mandatory in public and confined spaces.

The online poll, conducted June 5 to 7, surveyed 1,523 adult Canadians; it cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2020.

 

The Canadian Press