Canadians are more worried about the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic than they are over the health effects of the virus, a new poll suggests.

The Campaign Research survey provided to the Star found a staggering 99 per cent of respondents are aware of the crisis — and 93 per cent are worried about the economy.

“You just never see those kinds of numbers,” Richard Ciano, a principal of Campaign Research, said Wednesday.

The poll found only five per cent were not worried at all about an outbreak that has closed Canada’s borders to non-essential travel and forced Ottawa to launch an $82 billion bailout package, and two per cent weren’t sure.

Campaign Research polled 2,306 people across Canada between Friday and Tuesday using Maru Blue’s online panel. It is an opt-in poll. For comparison purposes, a randomly selected sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Three-quarters of respondents — 74 per cent — say they have not sold any holdings because of the pandemic while seven per cent said they had and 19 per cent said they didn’t have any investments to sell.

The poll found 89 per cent said they are concerned about the overall toll the virus will take on Canada. Only nine per cent were not at all concerned about the impact and one per cent had no opinion.

Campaign Research found 82 per cent were concerned they themselves could contract COVID-19 while 17 per cent were not concerned at all and one per cent weren’t sure.

Respondents were slightly more worried about their loved ones — 88 per cent are concerned a family member will catch the virus while 12 per cent weren’t concerned and one per cent weren’t sure.

Yet just four per cent said they know someone with COVID-19 — with one per cent claiming they had contracted it — and 95 per cent said they do not know anyone with the virus.

Eleven per cent said they were self-isolating while 89 per cent said they were not.

“People are scared, people have reacted, and people have made changes,” said Ciano.

Indeed, 80 per cent said they are washing their hands more — while 20 per cent said they weren’t — and 73 per cent said they are avoiding handshakes with 27 per cent making no change to their behaviour.

More than two-thirds — 71 per cent — said they are trying not to touch their faces while 29 per cent weren’t changing that practice.

Slightly fewer — 62 per cent — are using hand sanitizer or disinfectants more — with 38 per cent not taking that added precaution.

But fewer than half — 48 per cent — are covering their mouth when sneezing or coughing with 52 per cent making no change.

Despite repeated assurances by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Doug Ford, and retailers that the grocery supply chain is working smoothly, there has been an upswing in panic buying.

Of those who said they had stocked up due to COVID-19, 41 per cent said they had bought food, 17 per cent bought toilet paper, 17 per cent hand sanitizer, 13 per cent prescription medicines, 13 per cent bottled water, 10 per cent over-the-counter medications, eight per cent other toiletries, seven per cent cash, seven per cent fuel, six per cent medical masks, six per cent booze, four per cent batteries, and one per cent tobacco.

Fully one third — 36 per cent — said they had not stocked up on anything.

There is also a perception of shortages with 69 per cent believing there aren’t enough supplies in spite of supermarket shelves being restocked constantly. Only 24 per cent perceived no shortages and seven per cent weren’t sure.

Aside from worries about the economy, two-thirds — 68 per cent — were concerned about their own investments with 24 per cent not worried and nine per cent didn’t know.

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In terms of employment, 43 per cent were worried about their jobs and 42 per cent were not worried and 15 per cent had no opinion.

More people were worried about their social life — 52 per cent — while 47 weren’t concerned and two per cent didn’t know.

Although 42 per cent said the federal government has done a “poor job” handling the pandemic, Ciano emphasized the poll was conducted before Ottawa’s massive bailout measures.

During the survey period, 19 per cent said the government was doing a “good job” and 34 per cent were neutral and six per cent weren’t sure.