Will Americans Elect to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccine?

Across the globe, communities have been impacted and even shut down for extended periods of time due to the worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Nary a moment has passed in countries like the United States where COVID-19 has not dominated the news cycle, been in the thoughts of citizens, or otherwise affected their way of life.

COVID-19 is a real and present danger in American society, but hope may be on the horizon. Doctors and researchers are working at breakneck pace to develop and make available a vaccine for the virus. A prominent question is, however, whether or not people will elect to receive it.

The Study

With this vital question in mind, researchers decided to take matters into their own hands and assess the mindset of the American people regarding the potential vaccine. The goal was to evaluate the current likelihood of the average American choosing to receive the vaccine, choosing to reject the vaccine, or unsure either way.

The study also wanted to understand why those who were unsure felt uncertain. Thus, if a participant answered with “not sure,” they were asked to explain why they were currently undecided.

To keep answers as consistent as possible, approximately 1,000 American adults were asked the same question, “When a vaccine for the coronavirus becomes available, will you get vaccinated?” The adults included in this study were drawn from a probability-based research panel, AmeriSpeak, to represent the United States population as accurately as possible.

The Results

Over the course of April 16 through April 20, 2020, 991 participants responded. Just over half (57.6%) of those who answered said that yes, they would receive the vaccine. This was significantly higher than those who provided a strong “no” (10.8%).

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this study involves the group who chose the “not sure” option—a surprising 31.6% of participants. The reasons given for this widespread uncertainty ranged from specific concerns, such as antivaccine beliefs and vaccine reluctance, to more universal hesitations, such as the current lack of information and a general lack of trust.

Demographically, those who responded negatively—either by answering “no” or “not sure”—were more likely to be African-American, have a lower level of education, had not received the flu shot the year before, or be young.

What it Means

There is a large portion of the population in the United States that is unsure about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine when it comes available. If the goal is to increase the percentage of people willing to receive the vaccine, a targeted effort must be made, and applicable information must become more widespread.

Notes to Consider

This study was performed relatively early in the COVID-19 outbreak. As such, fewer people had been exposed to information about the virus. This information, which could potentially sway people to more seriously consider receiving the vaccine, was not included with the question. Should this study be performed again or with compelling information, the “yes” rate may be higher.