Canadian familiarity with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and pneumococcal disease (PD) is lower compared to influenza and COVID-19, according to a new poll.

A study conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Merck Canada states that “while awareness of influenza and COVID-19 is nearly universal among Canadians (98 per cent and 99 per cent, respectively),” familiarity is lower for RSV (71 per cent) and PD (66 per cent).

“These findings suggest there may be opportunities to improve understanding of lesser-known respiratory illnesses and available prevention options,” the study says.

Between 1,000 surveyed Canadian adults between 25 and 75 years old, nearly half (48 per cent) of Canadians reported receiving none of the surveyed respiratory vaccines for influenza, COVID-19, RSV or PD in the last 12 months, while almost 64 per cent were “unsure or unlikely to proactively discuss respiratory illnesses and prevention strategies with a healthcare professional in the next six months.”

Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) data from April states that while hospitalization rates for COVID-19 and other respiratory infections are in the thousands, vaccine rates are dropping.

Nearly 60,000 people were hospitalized in what the CIHI calls “vaccine-preventable respiratory hospitalizations” across Canada in 2024. Influenza and RSV accounted for more than half of hospitalizations, while COVID-19 contributed to more than 40 per cent.

However, numbers from the federal government report that 26 per cent of Canadian adults were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the fall of 2024. Seniors aged 65 years and older had the highest coverage at 54 per cent.

For seasonal influenza, just 33 per cent of adults in Canada were vaccinated during the 2024–2025 season, according to the CIHI data.

Despite the low vaccine rates, 28 per cent of respondents involved with the Ipsos study reported “experiencing disruptions to personal or professional plans due to respiratory illness in the past year.”

As a result, 43 per cent of Canadians reported missed gatherings with family and/or friends and 37 per cent used paid sick leave.

However, 36 per cent of surveyed Canadians reported that they are likely to “proactively discuss respiratory illness prevention with a healthcare professional in the coming months,” which the study states is “highlighting an opportunity to encourage more informed conversations ahead of respiratory illness season.”