A poll commissioned by Merck Canada and carried out by Ipsos reveals that almost every Canadian can name influenza and COVID‑19, but fewer than three‑quarters recognise respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and only two‑thirds are familiar with pneumococcal disease (pneumococcal disease).
Public awareness gaps
The online questionnaire surveyed 1,000 adults aged 25 to 75 across the country. Awareness rates stood at 98 percent for influenza and 99 percent for COVID‑19, compared with 71 percent for RSV and 66 percent for pneumococcal disease. Almost half of respondents (48 percent) said they had not received any of the four vaccines examined in the past year, and 64 percent indicated they were unsure or unlikely to raise respiratory‑illness concerns with a health professional in the next six months.
Hospitalisation trends and vaccine uptake
Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information show that in 2024 more than 59,000 Canadians were admitted to hospital for illnesses that vaccines can prevent. Influenza and RSV together accounted for just over half of those admissions, while COVID‑19 contributed to more than 40 percent.
Vaccine coverage remains low. In the autumn of 2024, 26 percent of adults reported a COVID‑19 shot, with seniors 65 years and older the most protected at 54 percent. Seasonal influenza vaccination reached only 33 percent of adults during the 2024‑2025 season.
Despite the modest uptake, 28 percent of those surveyed said a respiratory infection disrupted personal or professional plans in the past year, leading 43 percent to miss family gatherings and 37 percent to use paid sick leave.
Only 36 percent said they were likely to discuss prevention with a health professional in the coming months, highlighting a window for public‑health agencies to improve messaging ahead of the winter respiratory‑illness season.
Health officials and industry stakeholders see the findings as a call to boost education about RSV and pneumococcal disease, expand access to vaccines and encourage proactive conversations in primary‑care settings. With Canada's northern geography and aging population, higher vaccine uptake could ease pressure on hospitals and reduce the economic toll of missed work and social disruption.
Based on reporting by Global News.