1 in 5 Canadian households had a COVID-19 infection in the past 2 months: poll – National | Globalnews.ca

Roughly one in every five Canadian households saw a COVID-19 infection in the past two months, with more than a third of those occurring just after the holiday season, according to a new study.

A poll released Monday from the Angus Reid Institute reports that 21 per cent of households had at least one case of COVID-19 confirmed through a test since Dec. 1, 2021.

Some 36 per cent of these self-reported positive results occurred in the first two weeks of January. Meanwhile, 42 per cent of cases occurred over the course of December.

The polling was conducted from Jan. 27 to 28 with a sample of 1,688 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The results come with a margin of error of 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Quebec saw the highest incidence rates over this time period (one in four households), while Atlantic provinces reported the fewest cases (14 per cent of households, collectively). Ontario was slightly above the national average with a household incidence rate of 22 per cent.

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On an individual level, the data says nine per cent of Canadians have received a positive test result — including at-home options — since Dec. 1. That comes from the roughly one-quarter of individuals surveyed who took a test.

The institute is estimating that an additional five per cent were also infected over the time period. It bases that assumption on the proportion of those with self-reported symptoms and a comparison with those with similar profiles who did receive tests.

Eight per cent of residents surveyed in both Ontario and British Columbia said they wanted to take tests during the timeframe but were unable to access one.

Testing rates were also lowest for individuals in the lowest income brackets. Some 35 per cent of respondents with under $49,000 annual household income say they’d had a test over the past two months, though those figures rise to roughly 50 per cent for those households making more than $100,000.

As the dominant Omicron variant appears to be peaking after its rapid spread through the Canadian population, most surveyed by the Angus Reid Institute say they’re now in favour of removing restrictions and letting individuals manage their own level of risk.

Some 54 per cent of respondents said they fell into this camp in the latest poll, up 15 basis points from the same question asked in early January.

Only one age-gender group, women over the age of 54, disagreed in the majority with the idea that restrictions should be ended.

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