Almost two-thirds of Germans have shown a willingness to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by the DPA news agency.
Indeed, many are in a hurry to be vaccinated, 32% saying they want it to be done as soon as possible.
Another 33% said they were happy to receive the vaccine, but were slightly more hesitant as they wanted to wait and see what kind of effect it has on the recipients.
Some 19% said they did not want to receive the vaccine at all, while 16% remain undecided.
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Countries start rolling out coronavirus vaccine
Mexico
The Mexican military is responsible for managing the vaccination program, which began on Tuesday. The country will administer 125,000 doses of the new Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. For now, only medical staff in two of Mexico’s 32 states – Mexico City and the northern state of Coahuila – will be vaccinated.
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Countries start rolling out coronavirus vaccine
Israel
Israel launched its vaccination campaign on Sunday. On day one, health workers, PM and defense forces received the vaccine, while those over 60 began receiving the vaccine from Monday. Israel aims to vaccinate at least 2 million people by January.
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Countries start rolling out coronavirus vaccine
United States
The United States has approved two vaccines to accelerate the deployment of the vaccine to its population. President-elect Joe Biden received his first dose of the vaccine on Monday. The politician has stressed the safety of the vaccine, and even praised President Donald Trump, saying the current administration “deserves some credit” for getting the vaccine distribution “off the ground”.
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Countries begin to roll out coronavirus vaccine
United Kingdom
The UK launched its vaccination program earlier this month. The first 800,000 doses of the vaccine will be given to people over 80 in hospital, as well as to healthcare workers. There is speculation about the vaccine’s effectiveness against the new strain of coronavirus, but BioNTech, Pfizer’s German partner in the coronavirus vaccine, said its vaccine might work.
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Countries start rolling out coronavirus vaccine
Canada
Canada’s health regulator gave emergency approval to Pfizer’s vaccine earlier this month. The country will receive up to 249,000 doses of the vaccine in December. The country has started distributing the vaccine to its health workers.
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Countries begin to roll out coronavirus vaccine
Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a mass vaccination campaign this month. Doctors, teachers and social workers are the first to receive the Russian vaccine against Sputnik V. Meanwhile, clinics in Moscow have also started offering the vaccine.
Concerns about side effects
More than half of respondents – 57% – say they are concerned about the potential side effects of inoculation.
Germany plans to start its vaccination program on December 27, prioritizing people aged 80 and over, as well as people living and working in retirement homes.
Health workers at risk of infection, including those working in emergency rooms and intensive care units, will also be prioritized.
The YouGov survey found that older people were more inclined to be vaccinated, with 71% of people over 55 agreeing to it, compared to 54% of people aged 18-24 sharing the same enthusiasm.
Political clues
The way someone was likely to vote also gave an indication of their desire to receive the hit.
Nearly half of supporters of the far-right Alternative for Germany party – 49% – have shown reluctance to be vaccinated, according to the survey.
Green Party voters showed no hesitation, however, with 82% saying they wanted to receive the vaccine.
Some 2,035 people participated in the survey. It took place from December 21 to 23.
