Shomporko Desk:-TORONTO – As fears of a resurgence in COVID-19 cases increase, numerous Canadians are reluctantly wearing masks to stop the spread of the infection.
This is according to a new Angus Reid poll which found just 55 percent of Canadians are wearing masks consistently after they depart home.
The other 45 percent either wear masks infrequently or not under any condition.
Every province except for Alberta and Saskatchewan enrolled more than 70 percent support for mandatory masking laws – the previous at 60 percent and the last with only 55 percent support for the measure.
Just a quarter respondents stated their purpose behind not wearing a mask was that they forgot to bring one, while 74 percent highlighted uneasiness, lack of concern about getting COVID-19, an apparent insufficiency of masks, or basically copying others not wearing them.
The poll also found that men were much less likely to wear masks than women, and a majority of women across all age brackets reported wearing one when they leave home.
This is despite the poll’s finding that national concern over the threat posed by COVID-19 is at its highest since April.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney addressed the reluctance of some Albertans to wear a mask at a press briefing in Red Deer today, noting the potential for further economic damage if the province needs to go into lockdown again.
“I hear people say that mask-wearing is a globalist idea. I will remind them that I was advocating mask used when the World Health Organization – a global organization – was recommending against it,” Kenney said.
“My pitch to those folks, if they’re upset about mask usage, the alternative will inevitably be more widespread suspensions of economic activity if we get a second outbreak.”
A different poll on COVID-19 from Leger and the Association of Canadian Studies found a nearly 10 per cent increase in support for masking between June 26 and July 12.
Across the country, the Leger poll found 67 per cent of Canadians support mandatory masking for all indoor public spaces, compared to 58 per cent just over two weeks ago.
Only 27 per cent were against the measure and six per cent were not sure.
On Saturday, Quebec became the first province to mandate masks inside public spaces across the region.
Photo credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
News source: The Canadian Press
