November 16, 2021 – A new Pollara Strategic Insights survey reveals that three-quarters (76%) of Ontarians support their provincial government allowing neighbourhood pharmacies to conduct symptomatic COVID-19 testing.
This support is not lukewarm in nature, as 43% strongly support and 33% moderately support the government allowing this. Moreover, just 15% oppose the proposed measure, while 9% are unsure.
Amongst Ontarians who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, two-thirds (64%) feel safe visiting a neighbourhood pharmacy that conducts symptomatic COVID tests.
The survey also found that a range of safety measures are important to Ontarians in order to assuage potential concerns. The most important steps that pharmacies can take on this front are to maintain physical distancing, infection control, and sanitization (66% indicating this is very important); have a thorough pre-test screening for those entering the premises such that symptomatic people are moved to a separate area (62% very important); and have a separate entry and waiting area for those coming in for symptomatic testing (58% very important).
