Recent poll data suggests that while a majority of the public are confident in a coronavirus vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, less than half of adults are willing to say they’ll get the coronavirus vaccine.
Sixty-eight percent of respondents were extremely or somewhat confident in the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. At the same time, only 47% of adults said they would certainly get the coronavirus vaccine, according to a survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted Dec. 3-7.
Twenty-six percent said they would not be getting the vaccine, and 27% said they were unsure, the poll found.
AP-NORC poll: About a quarter of U.S. adults aren’t sure if they want to get COVID-19 shots. Roughly another quarter say they won’t, and for most, their minds are made up.
MORE: https://t.co/aXTvrdpCp1 pic.twitter.com/VInDaD8zmV
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 9, 2020
A higher percentage of white respondents said they are going to get the vaccine than black and Hispanic respondents, according to The Associated Press (AP). A majority, 53%, of white respondents said they will be getting the coronavirus vaccine, 25% said they will not and 22% said they are not sure yet, the poll said. (RELATED: Less Than 25% Of US Adults Say They Would Get A COVID Vaccine Right Away)
Black respondents were the most skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccine, the poll showed, with 40% saying they will not get the coronavirus vaccine, the highest percentage of any group of respondents. Only 24% answered that they would get the vaccine, the lowest of any of the groups.
COVID-19 has left Black, Hispanic and Native Americans hospitalized or killed at far higher rates than white Americans. Yet the poll finds just 24% of Black Americans and 34% of Hispanics say they will get vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/2WlrQjNbHL
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 9, 2020
Hispanic respondents had the highest percentage of those uncertain as to whether they will get the vaccine at 40%, according to the AP. Thirty-four percent answered that they will be getting the vaccine, while 26% said they will not, the poll found.
More male respondents, 55%, than female respondents, 40%, said they are going to get the coronavirus vaccine. Male and female respondents answered that they are not sure if they are going to get the COVID-19 vaccine yet at the same rate, 27%. Nearly double the number of female respondents said they would not be getting the vaccine than male respondents—33% to 18%, respectively.
The AP-NORC poll finds only about 3 in 10 Americans are very or extremely confident that a COVID-19 vaccine, when available, will have been properly tested for safety and effectiveness. Another 4 in 10 are somewhat confident. pic.twitter.com/EzdpXsUt82
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 9, 2020
Age also seemed to be a factor in an individual’s willingness to get the vaccine. Multiple studies have shown that the risks associated with coronavirus increase with age. Of younger respondents (under 45 years old), 36% said they will get the coronavirus vaccine while 33% said they will not. A majority — 51% — of 45-59 year old respondents and 62% of respondents over 60 said they will be getting the vaccine.
Around four in ten Republican respondents and six in ten Democratic respondents said they would be willing to get the vaccine, The Associated Press poll found. A third of Republican respondents answered they would not be getting the vaccine.
The AP poll results are similar to others that have asked the public about their willingness to get the coronavirus vaccine.
One poll from the National Poll on Healthy Aging from the University of Michigan asked adults 50-80 years old about their willingness to get vaccinated and found 58% said they are very or somewhat likely to get the coronavirus vaccine. The University of Michigan poll found similar disparities when it comes to race and gender as well.
In September, a Pew Research survey found that 51% of respondents said they would “definitely” or “probably” get the vaccine. A more recent survey in November found 60% of adults would “definitely” or “probably” get the vaccine.
Data from an August survey from NBC News found that 44% of Americans would get the vaccine, 22% said they would not and another 32% were unsure. The poll also found similar racial disparities as the AP poll. Out of Republican respondents, 36% said they would get the vaccine, while 33% said they would not, the poll showed. Among Democratic respondents, 58% said they would get the vaccine, and only 12% said they would not.
As the respondent’s level of education increased, the NBC poll found the respondent became more likely to get the vaccine.
At least 70% of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated from COVID-19 in order to achieve herd immunity, experts say according to the AP.
The Food and Drug Administration has deemed Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine safe and effective in a Tuesday report, CNBC reports. Other experts have deemed vaccines safe, as well as certain coronavirus vaccines, CTV News reports.