Research |
COVID-19 Perceptions and Perspectives from Manitobans (May 22, 2020)
May 22, 2020
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Manitobans are maintaining their pandemic behaviours
Over the past two months of the pandemic, Manitobans have quickly adopted and maintained recommended behaviours to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Over 90% of Manitobans continue to wash their hands often, avoid handshakes, and practice social distancing. The proportion of Manitobans doing these things has remained unchanged over three surveys.
Manitobans are continuing to stock up on essentials (66%), although this has fallen somewhat from April (71%). More than half report that they are self-isolating (59%), but this is down from April (when 72% reported the same behaviour).
The wearing of masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) has increased significantly from 18% in April to 35% in our latest survey.
Manitobans continue to worry, especially for the Canadian economy
About 8 in 10 Manitobans say that they are worried about the impact of the pandemic on the Canadian economy, a proportion that is virtually unchanged from earlier surveys. While half of Manitobans continue to worry about the economic impact on their household, there has been a slow but steady decline (from 58% in March).
Interestingly, the proportion of Manitobans who worry about catching COVID-19 remains practically unchanged (40%), although Manitobans are worrying less about the spread of COVID-19 to family and friends (60%, down from 70% in April).
Manitobans are not taking COVID-19 as serious
The perceived seriousness of the threat of COVID-19 has declined slightly. Still, 6 in 10 (59%) Manitobans continue to take the threat very seriously (down from 68% in April). The proportion of Manitobans who are not taking it seriously remains small, but has grown from 2% to 4% since April. Women (63%) are more likely than men (52%) to take the threat very seriously. Those 65 and older (69%) are more likely than younger Manitobans, especially those under 45 (51%), to say that they take the threat very seriously.
METHODOLOGY
PRA conducted the survey from May 11–14, 2020 using its Manitoba Panel. In total, 1,640 Manitobans completed the survey.
Because this sample is a non-probability sample, no error rate can be calculated. A random population survey of this size would yield an error rate of ± 2.5% (19 times out of 20).
As any sample may not represent the population perfectly, PRA corrects statistically for discrepancies in gender, age, and income to ensure the sample corresponds as closely as possible to Statistics Canada information.
PRA Inc. sponsored these questions independently.
No other organization, public or private, funded this study in whole or in part.
For more information about the research, please contact Nicholas Borodenko, partner, at borodenko@pra.ca
(204) 987-2030 or toll-free at 1-888-877-6744
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