Will you maintain social distancing during this holiday season?

Photo: Contributed

Almost half of Canadians plan to abandon social distancing during holiday gatherings and hug, kiss and shake hands with friends and family, a new poll shows.

The poll by Leger in collaboration with The Canadian Press found that 45 per cent of Canadians say they will "greet others with a handshake, hug or kiss" at Christmas parties and other holiday gatherings.

In Ontario, the number prepared to ditch social distancing over the winter vacation rose to 50 per cent, compared to only 37 per cent in B.C.

Among 18- to 34-year-olds, the proportion comfortable with hugging friends and relatives over the holidays rose to 52 per cent.

Christian Bourque, Leger's executive vice-president, said the finding suggested that Canadians may be becoming complacent about the risk of COVID-19 because they are vaccinated.

Forty-nine per cent of Canadians confessed they were not afraid of catching the virus.

"Canadians are showing indications that they are relaxing. Now that there is a fifth wave in Europe, Canadians are indicating that they are heading for a holiday season where they will take too many chances," Bourque said.

He said he found the findings surprising because, while "taking chances is cultural in the U.S.," Canadians tend to be more cautious. He said the bold attitude may be due to "COVID fatigue" or because many Canadians now think: "All of us are vaccinated in our house, what's the problem?"

At the same time, 81 per cent of Canadians asserted that they would respect all "remaining" safety measures during the holiday season.

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