COVID-fatigue is at a boiling point, with many Canadians planning to at least bend some of the rules over spring break, according to a new survey.
When it comes to following provincial restrictions and guidelines day-to-day, about 48 per cent of Canadians surveyed by Insights West said they are following every pandemic-related restriction or guideline in their province.
In B.C., that dips to 34 per cent.
With spring break around the corner, 63 per cent of the 1,614 respondents surveyed said they’re considering at least one of a variety of activities. At least half will likely have an indoor visit with family members or friends while 30 per cent are contemplating driving to a vacation destination and staying in a hotel. Twenty-three per cent are planning a ski trip.
Sixteen per cent are considering leaving the country.
Rule-breaking considerations are substantially higher among 18 to 34 year olds, the survey results show. Albertans tend to be the worst offenders when it comes to rule-breaking spring break intentions. Meanwhile, British Columbians are the least likely among any in Canada to take a flight of any kind.
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Steve Mossop, president of Insights West, said beliefs around it being OK to bend health orders and rules are one of the reasons the country is seeing a slow decline in new COVID-19 cases.
The top reason for breaking rules? Insights West compiled a list of eight possible reasons and found ranging levels of agreement for different excuses.
Thirty-nine per cent of respondents said they feel they can break the rules occasionally because they keep their bubble small and still feel like they are doing the right thing. Thirty-four per cent said they are careful when they do break the rules.
Thirty-two per cent said in order to stay happy and mentally health they have to break the rules occasionally. A further 28 per cent said they’re tired of all the rules and recommendations.
“What is interesting is the wide number of reasons Canadians give in justifying their rule-breaking behaviour,” Mossop said. “When it comes down to it, less than half of us are serious about following all of the rules, and that is problematic if we want to see a faster decline of the numbers.”
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