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“Normal” Life vs Vaccine Fear: What Americans Want Most
Sydney Jennings
Associate Editor of Patient Care Online
Slideshow
Will desire to return to “normal” life propel patients to get a COVID-19 vaccine? What do they think about efforts to contain transmission? Answers and more insights here.
The National Association of Broadcasters and the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri School of Journalism recently surveyed >3000 US adults aged ≥18 years regarding their views of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, public health efforts to mitigate transmission, and vaccination against the novel virus. From top concerns about COVID-19 vaccines to what strategies patients feel are effective in stopping the spread, key results for primary care are highlighted in the slides below.
Will Americans Get the COVID-19 Vaccine? Six out of 10 respondents expressed intent to get a COVID-19 vaccine once one becomes available to them, while 13% said they "definitely will not" get vaccinated. Immune-compromised respondents are more likely to get vaccinated vs those who are not, with approximately 75% of immune-compromised respondents expressing intent.
Why Do Americans Want to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine? When asked why they wanted to get vaccinated against COVID-19, 28% of respondents said they want to return to a "normal" life, 27% said they are concerned for the safety of others in their family, 24% said they are concerned for their own personal safety, and 18% said they are just tired of the pandemic.
What are the Top Concerns Americans Have About the Vaccine? Over half of respondents said they worry about the effectiveness of early versions of the vaccine (54%), that the vaccine itself will make people sick (52%), and the thoroughness of the vaccine's testing phase (51%).
African Americans Worry Most About Vaccine Effects. African American respondents were significantly more worried (63%) than the broader public that a COVID-19 vaccine will make people sick:
• 13% strongly disagree that any vaccine will be adequately tested for safety and effectiveness; 18% strongly agreed.
• 24% strongly agree that early versions of the vaccine will be less effective than later versions; 8% strongly disagreed.
What do Americans Think is Working to Limit Spread? Fifty-six percent of respondents reported that they strongly believe wearing a face mask helps limit the spread of COVID-19 and 50% of respondents strongly believe stay-at-home recommendations and other local restrictions on public activity are a good way to limit COVID-19 transmission.
Do Americans Agree with These Widely Circulated Myths? When asked about their thoughts on widely circulated COVID-19 myths, 47% strongly disagreed that wearing a face mask is harmful to one's health (13% strongly agreed) and 49% strongly disagreed with the statement that "the virus is not real or as severe as the government and media say" (12% strongly agreed).
What are Americans Extremely Worried About Regarding COVID-19?
• 35% of respondents said the pandemic’s effect on the economy.
• 34% said friends or relatives who are older or at higher risk of disease will get sick.
• 31% said the pandemic’s effect on the American way of life.
• 30% said that someone in their home will get sick.
• 24% said that they personally will get sick.
What Kind of “Messages” Will Encourage Americans to get the COVID-19 Vaccine Approximately half of respondents said they are more likely to get vaccinated as a result of seeing a message that focuses on concerns for others, such as:
• “Don’t put your family through the pain of losing you to COVID-19.” (49%)
• “Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do to protect yourself and protect your neighbors.” (49%)
• "If enough of us get the shot, we can stop COVID-19.” (47%)