59.2 Overall Score (down 18.5 since Aug 1st.)

Canada

  • 28.9 Public Health
    Directives
  • 64 Financial
    Response
  • 100 Fact-Based
    Communication
  • 28.9 Public Health
    Directives
  • 64 Financial
    Response
  • 100 Fact-Based
    Communication

Canada has a relatively strong score, with poor public health policy countered by a continued reliance on fact-based communication.

Pre-COVID Conditions

Canada is relatively strong for its pre-pandemic capacity, as it has widely accessible universal healthcare, minimal inequality, and a very healthy population, but few hospital beds, particularly in comparison to other high-income countries, hurt its score.

  • Debt/GDP ratio 89.9%
  • GDP/capita $52,144
  • Gini coefficient (out of 100) 33.8
  • Infant mortality rate (out of 1,000 live births) 4
  • Healthcare access score (out of 100) 87.6
  • Hospital beds/1,000 People 19

Government Response

Select a data point for more information
(Data points represent policy level as of Jan 1.)
28.9

Public Health Directives

Canada has released limited emergency healthcare funding, has a relaxed lockdown, and testing remains limited to very specific groups, making for a relatively weak public health score.

  • Stay at home order 1
  • Public gathering restrictions 4
  • School closings 2
  • Public event cancellations 2
  • Testing policy 3
  • Emergency healthcare investments/capita $39.90
  • Travel restrictions 3
  • Tests/1,000 people 365
  • Contact tracing 2
64

Financial Response

Canada offers comprehensive income support for workers, including seasonal workers and the unemployed, but debt forbearance is limited.

  • Financial stimulus as share of GDP 16.4%
  • Income support 2
  • Debt forebearance 1
100

Fact-Based Communication

Canada has prioritized clear, regular communication with the public, including regular briefings by Prime Minister Trudeau.

  • Reliance on science/fact based information 0
  • Press freedom 0

COVID-19 Status as of Jan 1

Canada’s current status for COVID-19 is near the median, with fairly low death and case rates and a fairly low positivity score, although it is reporting more positive tests than the fall, suggesting it is testing more sick patients than before.

  • Total deaths 15,644
  • Death rate per 100K 414.5
  • Total cases 585,400
  • Cases per 100K 15,511
  • Percent of positive tests 8.4
  • Change in positivity rates +6.3
Case Trend Line
Daily cases Level 1 Lockdown

Differentiating Factors

Compared with Other Western Hemisphere Countries
  • 49.7
    Brazil 7,700,578
    Cases     36,228
    Per 1M     195,411
    Deaths

    Brazil has a relatively weak score, primarily due to its poor public health policies, especially its very low levels of testing, coupled with President Bolsonaro’s spreading of misinformation about the virus.

  • 39.9
    Mexico 1,437,185
    Cases     11,147
    Per 1M     126,507
    Deaths

    Mexico's score has deteriorated over time, due primarily to its extremely weak financial response and relatively weak public health policy, including very limited testing.

  • 36.2
    United States 20,184,236
    Cases     60,979
    Per 1M     347,901
    Deaths

    Still battling widespread COVID-19 cases and deaths, which were exacerbated by the former administration's limited use of facts and science, limited emergency healthcare spending, and limited debt relief, the Biden administration, by contrast, is taking aggressive action to combat the virus, although it may take time for the score to reflect these changes.

  • 59.2
    Canada 585,400
    Cases     15,511
    Per 1M     15,644
    Deaths

    Canada has a relatively strong score, with poor public health policy countered by a continued reliance on fact-based communication.

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New Zealand

Statistics and government response factors available on each country profile include:

Pre-COVID Conditions:

  • Debt to GDP ratio
  • Infant mortality rates
  • Hospital beds per 1,000 people
  • Gini coefficients measuring inequality
  • Health access and quality

COVID-19 Public Health Directives:

  • Stay-at home orders
  • School-closing policy
  • Public-gathering restrictions
  • Cancellation of public events
  • Testing policy and rates per 1,000 people
  • Emergency healthcare spending per capita
  • Travel restrictions
  • Contact tracing

COVID-19 Financial Response:

  • Stimulus package as a share of GDP
  • Income support
  • Debt-forbearance

Public Communications:

  • Instances of misinformation by leadership
  • Limitations on press freedom, censorship

Current/Historic In-Country COVID-19 Status:

  • Death rates per 1 million
  • Case rates per 1 million