Why Aren’t Americans Getting the New COVID-19 Vaccine?

 

Americans who do not plan to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine mostly cite protection from prior infection and safety concerns as their primary reasons for not getting the shot, new survey data finds.

A Gallup survey conducted from late November to early December found that the majority of U.S. adults – 51% – don’t plan on getting the updated shot. So far, 29% of respondents reported rolling up their sleeves for the vaccine, but an additional 20% said they plan to get the shot in the future. That means that close to half of Americans could get the latest shot, if the numbers hold true in the real world.

Still, it's significantly less than the percentage of adults – 63% – who plan to get or already had the flu shot.

“Greater rates of flu vaccination may reflect that that procedure is more of an established routine for Americans than getting annual COVID-19 shots,” Gallup Senior Editor Jeffrey Jones said in a post.

Of those who don’t plan to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine, 27% reported that their main reason for not getting the shot was having a prior coronavirus infection and believing they have antibodies.

The second most common reason was concern over safety of the vaccine. While the COVID-19 vaccines have repeatedly proven to be safe, vaccine hesitancy fueled by the coronavirus pandemic remains a significant public health issue.

There is a continued discrepancy between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. The survey found that 48% of respondents who said they have gotten the new shot identified as Democrats compared to 10% who said they were Republicans.

Most Americans perceive the COVID-19 situation as getting better, according to the survey. The rate is not quite as high as it was in May, but that could reflect elevated hospitalizations this fall and a new COVID-19 variant that is spreading.

“Americans seem to be heeding public health officials’ recommendation to get annual flu shots to a greater degree than they are complying with their advice to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine,” Jones said. “This may reflect lessened worry about the COVID-19 situation as it pertains to them personally and to the country more broadly.”

Public health officials have said that the COVID-19 vaccination rate is too low heading into the holidays when travel and indoor gatherings are likely to spread the virus.

Why Aren’t Americans Getting the New COVID-19 Vaccine? (msn.com)