A new poll reveals that more than half of Americans are more confident, and nearly one-quarter of Americans are less confident in COVID-19 vaccines after the CDC paused use of the Johnson & Johnson shot Tuesday.
The Echelon Insights poll found that 58% of Americans are now more confident in COVID-19 vaccines, while 23% are now less confident, with the remaining portion undecided. The CDC paused use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday after it was revealed that six individuals out of roughly seven million recipients developed blood clots after getting the vaccine.
A quick check-in with U.S. adults reveals that contrary to the prevailing view on Twitter, the decision to pause the J&J vaccine???? due to a small number of blood clotting issues actually makes Americans more, not less, confident in the COVID-19 vaccines. pic.twitter.com/S8KtiVyOXR
— Echelon Insights (@EchelonInsights) April 14, 2021
Debate ensued over whether or not the pause would result in more vaccine hesitancy among Americans. It is not clear based on the Echelon poll how many of the 23% were already hesitant about the vaccine, or how many of the 58% were already confident before the pause. (RELATED: Trump Accuses Biden Administration Of Conspiring With Pfizer To Pause Johnson & Johnson Vaccine For ‘Political Reasons’)
23% of Americans represents approximately 57 million adults who are now less confident in the jabs. Somewhere between one-quarter and one-third of Americans have expressed vaccine hesitancy in previous polls. It’s estimated by scientists that somewhere between 60% and 80% of the population needs to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.
NEW POLL: The J&J pause makes people *more confident* in vaccines, not less.
M-O-R-E C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T pic.twitter.com/bqe6bTBwiR
— Ben Wakana (@benwakana46) April 14, 2021
White House communications staffer for COVID-19 response Ben Wakana celebrated the results of the poll on Twitter.
Overall, the three vaccines approved for emergency use in the United States have proven overwhelmingly safe and effective. Nearly half of American adults have now received at least one vaccine dose, and more than 76 million are fully vaccinat