Despite the challenges of implementing British Columbia's proof of vaccine protocols, a new study indicates the majority of British Columbians support the initiative.
The study by Insights West out of Vancouver indicates that overall support/opposition to the vaccine card has not changed since the concept was first introduced in mid-August. The vast majority, 77 per cent, of B.C. residents support proof of the BC Vaccine Card system to participate in various activities, with 59 per cent who ‘strongly support’ the idea and 17 per cent who ‘somewhat support’ the idea. One in five B.C. residents, 20 per cent are opposed to the requirement.
The poll indicates that in the two weeks since the introduction of the vaccine cards, over half, 58 per cent of residents have had the opportunity to use the card. The breakdown according to age/gender looks like, among 18-34 year-olds, 69 per cent vs. 54 per cent of those who are older, males, 61 per cent vs. 54 per cent of females, and those with higher incomes 66 per cent vs. 50 per cent of those with lower incomes, are more likely to have visited a business or establishment where the card should have been asked for.
"What is quite surprising is the high percentage, 33 per cent of residents who have been in an establishment that should have asked for the proof of vaccinations but have failed to do so. Of that group, about half have experienced this multiple times," says Steve Mossop, president of Insights West.
Businesses that don’t comply with the requirement to ask for vaccine cards are likely to suffer significant negative consequences in response to their non-compliance.
Almost two in three B.C. residents, or 60 per cent, would act on the matter, and the most common actions include 29 per cent who will not go to that place of business again, 24 per cent who would question or confront the business owner or manager about it, and 22 per cent who would tell their family/friends about it.
“The implementation of the vaccine card system has gone quite smoothly in British Columbia and in a very short period of time the majority has experienced the usage process without a hitch,” says Mossop. “What surprised us, however, was the relatively large number of people in B.C. who have experienced incidents where the public establishment didn’t properly ask for the BC Vaccine Card upon entry. Our poll also clearly shows that those businesses who don’t comply with the mandate are subject to the backlash of people who are in favour of the new rules.”
Even though we are only two weeks into the new requirements, already 10 per cent of B.C. residents have witnessed negative behaviours at a place of business during the vaccine card checking process, refusing to show their BC Vaccine Card or being rude or difficult to employees about the requirement.
