COVID-19 back to school: Canadians in favour of 'barring' unvaccinated students from in-person learning, Yahoo/Maru poll says
As proof of COVID-19 vaccination continues to be mandated in various sectors, industries and workplaces across Canada, newly released poll results show that the majority of Canadians support "barring" students, including children, from in-person learning if they are not vaccinated.
The survey, conducted by Yahoo/Maru Public Opinion between Aug. 9 and Aug. 10 with 1,504 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada online panelists, found that 58 per cent of respondents believe that all school-aged youth eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, 12 and older, should be barred from attending in-class learning if they are not fully vaccinated.
The most support comes from Ontarians and individuals living in Quebec, both at 61 per cent support.
Survey respondents in Atlantic Canada were the most opposed to restricting in-person classes for unvaccinated children, followed by British Columbians and Albertans.
The poll found that women were most likely to oppose barring children from in-class learning, based on their vaccination status, compared to men.
The survey also revealed that 66 per cent of respondents want unvaccinated university and college students out of the classroom, with the highest support coming from individuals living in Ontario, at 70 per cent.
The poll found that older Canadians, age 55 and older, and individuals with a university education are most likely to support a policy like this being put in place.
Survey respondents in Atlantic Canada were the most opposed to restricting in-person classes at colleges and universities to only vaccinated students, followed by Albertans and respondents living in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
"Those Canadians who are youngest and middle-aged (18 – 54 38 per cent) are the most likely to push back on such a policy, followed by women (36 per cent) and those who have less than a university education (36 per cent)," the survey results state.
According to a Yahoo/Maru poll, 77 per cent of Canadians are in favour of having an identification system to prove COVID-19 vaccination. The survey also found that most Canadians are in favour of requiring proof of vaccination to access non-essential businesses, including restaurants, bars and gyms.
