Despite the summer wave that is sweeping the province, the Quebec population remains optimistic about COVID-19, according to the most recent survey by the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) on the attitudes and behaviors of Quebecers towards the virus, released Tuesday.
According to the probe carried out from June 24 to July 6, just before the Quebec government confirmed a seventh wave, 83% of respondents believe that the worst of the crisis is behind us, compared to 74% of Quebecers who were of the same opinion at the beginning of April.
After the disappointments caused by the fifth wave caused by Omicron last winter, “we have been in a period marked by optimism” since the spring, underlines Ève Dubé, scientific advisor at the INSPQ. Despite the increase in cases and hospitalizations this summer, the positive attitude that emerges from the survey is comparable to that observed last summer, during the vaccination campaign, she notes.
Ms. Dubé points out that summer is also generally a time when Quebecers have a more positive attitude towards COVID-19, due to the relaxation of health measures that have coincided with this season since the start of the pandemic. And this year, since the lifting of the mandatory wearing of face coverings in most public places, optimism has risen in Quebec, she explains.
The luminosity due to the summer season adds to the various factors that can contribute to the current optimism, estimates Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier, psychologist and associate professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal. “It’s good for our mood and it tints our perception of things,” she says. Since the start of the pandemic, each summer has been marked by a certain encouragement, which however ran out of steam in September or October, she notes.
People already infected less fearful
Ève Dubé points out that people who have contracted the virus before are much less fearful than others. According to the survey, only 24% of respondents who have ever had COVID-19 believe that catching the virus is dangerous for them. For those who have never been infected, this proportion rises to 54%. The scientific adviser specifies that certain groups, such as older people, are more fearful of the disease.
Since the Omicron wave, the large number of people infected without having had complications can explain why we fear the virus less, according to Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier.
Always aware of COVID-19
When there is an increase in cases, we usually observe an increase in adherence to two recommended measures to protect against COVID-19, namely hand washing and physical distancing in society, raises Ève Dubé of the INSPQ.
However, this change in behavior is not yet visible this summer. Only 23% of respondents say they adhere to these measures, compared to 34% for the period from April 29 to May 11, according to a previous INSPQ survey. The lifting of the obligation of sanitary measures could partly explain the drop in adherence to hand washing and physical distancing, according to Ms. Dubé.
However, 65% of Quebecers say they intend to wear a mask in certain situations, even if it is no longer mandatory. Almost half of respondents say they prefer to limit their contact with other people, avoiding social or group activities, despite the lifting of confinement measures. “People are well aware of the pandemic,” says Ève Dubé.
Concerned about the health system
The “fragility of the health and social services system” is what worries Quebecers the most. For 96% of respondents, this is an important issue of the pandemic. “There has been a lot of emphasis in the media on the overload of the health system and the fact that the caregivers are tired”, maintains Ève Dubé. The population is therefore very aware of this issue, she said.
Due to the shortcomings of the health network highlighted in the past two years, Quebecers are possibly worried about the system’s ability to deal with possible pandemics, according to Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier. “What is difficult in a pandemic is the idea that the future is uncertain, she underlines. It’s very anxiety-provoking. And if the health system is not strong enough, it becomes very difficult. »
This INSPQ survey was conducted with 6,600 respondents. Since July 2020, 3,300 participants have answered questions each week about their attitudes and behaviors in the face of the pandemic. The results are published every two weeks.