Over 40 Percent of Ontarians Plan to Celebrate Holidays With Extended Family Despite Omicron

Despite the flurry of news surrounding the increasing spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is now believed to account for more than 83 percent of all cases in Ontario, a new survey shows that four out of 10 people in the province still want to celebrate the holidays with their extended families. The findings were produced by Forum Research, a Canadian market research firm, who conducted a poll surverying 1,001 adult Ontarians on Dec. 14.

After nearly two years of lockdown restrictions, it’s perhaps not shocking that 70 percent of Ontarians said they feel comfortable gathering with vaccinated family members this holiday season. On top of that, a slight majority of 58 percent of Ontarians are comfortable shopping inside malls, while 52 percent are comfortable dining inside a restaurant.

However, those surveyed are more reluctant to attend a holiday party (42 percent) or a place of worship (41 percent). Most respondents were heavily wary of gathering with those who remain unvaccinated, with only 25 percent willing to do so.

Ontarians remain divided on the issue of gathering with extended family, with the survey revealing a strong split between 51 percent who would only celebrate with their immediate household and 42 percent who said they would celebrate with extended family.

The results of this poll seem to fall flat in the face of the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, who warned Ontarians to avoid visiting older and immunocompromised family members this holiday celebration.

Despite the holiday wishes of some Ontarians this year, the province has now lowered gathering limits to a maximum of 10 people indoors amid the threat posed by Omicron, with preliminary research suggesting that two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine may not be protective enough against the Omicron variant.

It’s important to note that the Forum poll was conducted prior to the new public health restrictions announced last Friday. Those who are vaccinated believe that the Omicron variant had impacted their holiday plans (50 percent), while those who are unvaccinated remain unaffected (23 percent).