Given the propensity of some people to disdain the idea of vaccination, the question arises: When a COVID-19 vaccine is developed, will people willingly take it? Statistics Canada says the question is important, given the vaccine has been identified as an important factor in reopening the economy and relaxing physical distancing measures. A recent Leger poll indicates that 40 per cent of Canadians do not support mandatory vaccinations. Stats Canada used a method called crowdsourcing – which employs the internet and social media – to gauge interest in being vaccinated. It found that about 68 per cent of participants were very likely to voluntarily get vaccinated. Just over one in ten people indicated that they were somewhat likely or very unlikely to be vaccinated.

Trust in others played a role in this. About 70 per cent of participants who indicated that most people can be trusted were very likely to get the vaccine when one becomes available as compared to 60 per cent who indicated that most people cannot be trusted.

Over three-quarters of participants who had a high level of trust in the federal government indicated they were very likely to get a COVID vaccine compared to about 54 per cent of the participants who had a low level of trust.
Similarly, while about 76 per cent of participants with a high level of trust in federal public health authorities were very likely to get the vaccine only about 44 per cent with a low level of trust were likely to be vaccinated.