Canadians' Concern of Contracting SARS (51%) Decreases 10 Points Since Beginning of April

Toronto, ONTARIO (Friday, April 25th, 2003) - While a majority (51%) of Canadians are concerned about contracting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), this represents a decrease of 10 points since last asked during the first week in April, according to a new Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll released today. Interviews were conducted during the week that the World Health Organization released an advisory against travel to Toronto due to the local outbreak of SARS.

Concern about contracting the disease has decreased in all regions of the country, ranging from a decline of two points among Albertans to a decline of 15 points among Quebecers. In the most affect area, Ontario, concern declines 13 points -- from 69% recorded during the first week of April, to 56% in this latest poll.

Seven in ten (70%) Canadians say that their provincial government and public health officials have done the best job they can to protect the public from the spread of the SARS virus. However, half (51%) say that they are personally alarmed that governments and healthcare officials are not taking enough steps to contain the SARS outbreak.

In terms of official moves to control the spread of the SARS outbreak, three-quarters (73%) of Canadians agree that individuals who are quarantined due to SARS and violate their quarantine should face a criminal charge, while just slightly less (71%) say that doctors and nurses who work in hospitals and other healthcare settings that have handled probable or confirmed SARS cases should be required to wear protective masks and gloves at all times when out in public.

As for the public's actions regarding the outbreak, half (51%) of Canadians agree that people have over-reacted to the SARS outbreak, while seven in ten (69%) say that people have taken appropriate measures to protect themselves from the SARS outbreak in Canada.

And finally, more than eight in ten (85%) Canadians hold the view that individuals who are required to miss work due to a SARS quarantine should be compensated for their lost wages through the federal government's Employment Insurance program.

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll conducted between April 22nd and April 24th, 2003. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,000 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2001Census data.

While a majority (51%) of Canadians are concerned about contracting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), this represents a decrease of 10 points since last asked during the first week in April. However, approximately half (49%) are not concerned about contracting the mysterious disease.

• Concern over contracting SARS is highest in Ontario (56%, -13 points), Atlantic Canada (56%; -8 points), and Alberta (55%, -2 points), while it is lower in British Columbia (49%, -4 points), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (49%, -9 points) and Quebec (41%, -15 points).
• Women (56%, -14 points) continue to be more concerned over contracting SARS than are men (46%, -6 points).
• Canadians with only a high school diploma (62%, - 5 points) or without a high school diploma (59%, -11 points) are more likely than their counterparts with some university or other post-secondary education (47%, -13 points) or with a university degree (41%, -14 points) to be concerned about contracting the disease.
• There is no statistical difference in concern between age or household income groups.

Seven in ten (70%) Canadians say that their provincial government and public health officials have done the best job they can to protect the public from the spread of the SARS virus. Just under three in ten (27%) disagree with this position.

• Regionally, the highest level of agreement with this position is among residents of Quebec (79%) followed by residents of Ontario (71%), Atlantic Canada (70%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (62%), Alberta (59%) and British Columbia (59%).
• Older (75%) Canadians are more likely than younger (65%) Canadians to agree with this position.
• A higher proportion of women (73%) than men (66%) agree with this view.

However, half (51%) say that they are personally alarmed that governments and healthcare officials are not taking enough steps to contain the SARS outbreak. Just under half (47%) disagree with this statement.

• Residents of Quebec (61%) are more likely to agree with this view than are residents of British Columbia (49%), Atlantic Canada (49%) and Ontario (46%).
• A higher number of women (54%) than of men (47%) hold this position.
• Canadians from lower income households (58%) are more likely than those from upper income households (44%) to say they are personally alarmed that governments/healthcare professionals are not taking enough steps to contain the outbreak.

In terms of official moves to control the spread of the SARS outbreak, three-quarters (73%) of Canadians agree that individuals who are quarantined due to SARS and violate their quarantine should face a criminal charge. In total one in four (26%) disagree with this proposal.

• Ontarians (79%) are more likely than residents of Atlantic Canada (70%) and Quebec (64%) to agree with this position.
• Older (78%) and middle aged (75%) Canadians are also more likely to hold this view than are younger (64%) Canadians.
• Canadians from upper income households (78%) are more likely than those from lower income households (68%) to agree with this proposition.

Slightly less (71%) say that doctors and nurses who work in hospitals and other healthcare settings that have handled probable or confirmed SARS cases should be required to wear protective masks and gloves at all times when out in public. Three in ten (28%) disagree with this position.

• Quebecers (87%) are more likely than those in any other region of the country to agree with this proposition. Two-thirds (66%) of Ontarians express agreement with this proposition.
• A higher number of women (76%) than men (66%) agree with this idea.
• Canadians without a high school diploma (84%) are more likely to agree to this idea than are those with some university or other post-secondary education (70%) or a university degree (61%).
• Canadians from lower (79%) and middle (77%) income households are more likely than their counterparts from upper income households (61%) to agree with this proposition.

As for the public's actions regarding the outbreak, while half (51%) of Canadians agree that people have over-reacted to the SARS outbreak, seven in ten (69%) say that people have taken appropriate measures to protect themselves from the SARS outbreak in Canada.

• There are no statistical differences between regions or socio-economic groups regarding the position that people have over-reacted to the SARS outbreak.
• Regionally, residents of Quebec (73%) and Ontario (72%) are more likely than residents of British Columbia (60%) to hold the view that Canadians have take appropriate measures to protect themselves. As well this position is more likely held by Canadians with a university degree (75%), those with some university or other post-secondary education (69%) and those without a high school diploma (72%) compared to those with just a high school diploma (61%).

And finally, over eight in ten (85%) Canadians hold the view that individuals who are required to miss work due to a SARS quarantine should be compensated for their lost wages through the federal governments Employment Insurance program. Fourteen percent (14%) of Canadians disagree with this proposal.

• Quebecers (91%) are more likely to agree with this position than are Ontarians (83%), Albertans (80%) or Atlantic Canadians (76%).
• Women (89%) are more likely to hold this view than are men (80%).

To view the media release and the detailed tables.

-30-

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900