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Albertans are far more worried about long-term economic damage from COVID-19 than they are by the disease itself, according to a poll done for the Jason Kenney government by Yorkville Strategies.

Seventy-six per cent of respondents are deeply concerned by the threat of lasting economic harm, it says.

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By contrast, only about 30 per cent worry most about catching the disease themselves. Concern for the health of friends and family takes this up to about 45 per cent.

Asked to choose the bigger threat to Alberta over the next year, 47 per cent said low oil prices and 40 per cent picked the pandemic crisis.

These striking findings show the dilemma governments face — how to get the economy moving again, even while people aren’t allowed to move very much.

Independent pollster Marc Henry says that despite the deep economic fears, people are also wary of an abrupt end to isolation measures “because there’s a fear that if they open up the economy too early, they’re going to hurt the economy even more.”