AP-NORC poll: One-third of American adults skeptical of COVID clichés

About 1 in 3 Americans say they definitely or probably won’t get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a new poll that some experts say is disheartening if the United States hopes to gain herd immunity and beat the outbreak.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that while 67% of Americans plan to get a vaccine or have already done so, 15% are sure they won’t and 17% probably say not. Many have expressed doubts about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

The poll suggests that substantial skepticism persists for over a month and a half in a U.S. vaccination campaign that has encountered few or no serious side effects. He found that resistance is higher among young people, people without a college degree, black Americans and Republicans.

Dr.Anthony Fauci, the government’s leading infectious disease specialist, estimated that between 70% and 85% of the American population must be vaccinated to stop the scourge that has killed nearly 470,000 Americans. More recently, he said the spread of more contagious variants of the virus is increasing the need for more people to get vaccinated – and quickly.

So, are 67% of Americans enough?

“No. No, no, no, no,” said William Hanage, a Harvard University expert on disease dynamics. He added, “You’re going to need to get pretty large proportions of the population immunized. before seeing any real effect. “

Nearly 33 million Americans, or about 10% of the population, have received at least one dose, and 9.8 million have been fully immunized, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

The poll of 1,055 adults, conducted January 28 to February 1, provides a glimpse of skepticism.

Of those who said they definitely would not get the vaccine, 65% expressed concerns about side effects, despite the vaccine’s safety record in recent months. About the same percentage said they did not trust COVID-19 vaccines. And 38% said they didn’t think they needed a vaccine, with a similar share saying they didn’t know if a COVID-19 vaccine will work and that they don’t trust the government.

Of those who likely won’t get the vaccine but haven’t completely ruled it out, 63% said they were waiting to see if it was safe and 60% said they were concerned about possible side effects .

“I don’t trust pharmaceuticals. Truly not. And it doesn’t seem like that’s for sure, ”said Debra Nanez, a 67-year-old retired nurse from Tucson, Arizona.

Nanez said she had been vaccinated against the flu and pneumonia, but was concerned about rumors about the contents of the coronavirus vaccine, and her friends have the same hesitation.

“It would take me a while to research this to make sure it’s safe. I just don’t want to take anything that could hurt me,” she said.

Baron Walker, a 42-year-old licensed insulation installer from Parkersburg, West Virginia, said he was in the “probably not” column, at least for now.

He said if he was elderly or lived in a densely populated area, he might consider the vaccine more strongly. But he lives in a rural part of the country, he wears a mask and socially distances himself, and he feels there is a good chance the nation will get collective immunity, he said.

“I feel like I have a lot of time before I get the chance to receive (the vaccine) anyway, to find out if there are any bad side effects and if it’s even worth getting it”, Walker said.

In interviews, some Americans expressed concern about the revolutionary speed with which vaccines were developed – less than a year.

“I feel like they rushed in,” Walker said.

This was picked up by Matt Helderman, 31, of Greer, South Carolina.

“I’d love to see more data on safety,” said Helderman, a video editor and associate producer for a Christian television program. He also said he would like to see more clarity on the effectiveness of the vaccine against the new variants.

Health officials are trying to counter vaccine concerns with science.

The latest evidence indicates that the two vaccines used in the United States – Pfizer and Moderna – are effective even against the variants, Fauci said.

Moreover, while vaccine development has been exceptionally rapid, it has been the culmination of many years of research. And the vaccines have been the subject of clinical trials involving thousands of people who were followed for 60 days after their last dose. Studies of other vaccines have shown that harmful side effects almost always materialize within 45 days.

“Security has certainly not been compromised, nor scientific integrity has been compromised,” Fauci said. “Many have reasons for skepticism. But I think when you explain the facts and data to them, you can convince them.

The survey found that older Americans, who are more vulnerable to COVID-19, are particularly likely to say they received an injection or that they likely or certainly will be vaccinated. Four in ten people under the age of 45 say they probably or certainly will not get the vaccine, compared with a quarter of those older.

Black Americans seem less likely than white Americans to say that they have received the vaccine or that they will definitely or probably be vaccinated, 57% versus 68%. Among Hispanic Americans, 65% say they have received or intend to be vaccinated.

Public health experts have long known that some black Americans are suspicious of the medical establishment because of its history of abuse, including the infamous Tuskegee study, in which black patients with syphilis were left untreated. so that doctors can study the disease.

Americans without a college degree are more likely than college graduates to say they will definitely or probably not be vaccinated, 40% versus 17%. And Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say that, 44% versus 17%.

Fingerhut reported from Washington.

The AP-NORC survey of 1,055 adults was conducted from January 28 to February. 1 using a sample drawn from NORC’s AmeriSpeak probability panel, designed to be representative of the US population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.