Almost 60% of the Public Plans to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine When It’s Available to Them, GoodRx Finds
Key takeaways:
Nearly 60% of people plan on getting the COVID-19 vaccine when they have access, according to a new GoodRx survey. Of concern, 22% are not planning on getting it and another 20% are not sure whether they will get it or not.
There is widespread confusion about whether people who have had COVID-19 should be vaccinated. In our survey, almost one-third of people were unsure whether it was necessary.
For people who are hesitant to get vaccinated, more data on harmful side effects and a longer time period for vaccine development would help increase the likelihood of them choosing to get the vaccine.
According to the CDC, vaccination against COVID-19 is an important step in controlling (and stopping) the pandemic. As COVID-19 vaccinations continue to become available to the public, there have been large public health pushes to encourage people to get vaccinated.
To understand how the unvaccinated public feels about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, we asked Americans about their vaccination plans. Our survey was distributed from February 4 through February 7, and we received a total of 1,096 responses (more information on the survey is available in the methodology section).
Based on our research, a majority of Americans say they want to get vaccinated, and more information could help those on the fence become more comfortable accepting a vaccine. We also found that there’s still quite a bit of confusion over vaccine eligibility and cost.
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Overall, it was clear that the public needs consistent and accurate COVID-19 communication across the various outlets where people look for information on the virus.
More than half of those surveyed say they’ll get the vaccine
Over half (58%) of survey respondents reported that they would be getting the COVID-19 vaccine when it was available to them. Another 22% reported that they were not planning on getting the COVID-19 vaccine when eligible, and 20% were unsure.
Among the people who were planning on getting the vaccine, more were men than women (55% men versus 45% women). Of the group who did not plan on getting vaccinated, women made up a larger proportion (67% versus 33% men).
While it’s encouraging that so many people are willing to receive a vaccine, more than 58% of the population needs to be vaccinated given what we know about virus containment. The required level of vaccinated population to reach levels to slow the spread of the current COVID-19 virus, and its many possible mutations, is estimated to be between 70% and 95%.
COVID-19 experiences affect vaccine acceptance
Certain associations or experiences with the COVID-19 vaccine may make vaccine acceptability higher. For example, people with a family member or friend who had received the COVID-19 vaccine reported greater acceptance of vaccination.
Of the group with a vaccinated close friend or family member, two-thirds planned on getting the vaccine themselves. Of the group without a vaccinated close friend or family member, only 14% planned on getting vaccinated.
Our findings also suggest that people who are hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine may be more wary of vaccines in general. Of the people who received a flu vaccine last year, only 9% were not planning on getting the COVID-19 vaccine; in contrast, of the people who opted out of flu vaccinations last year, 34% were not planning on getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
More data could sway skeptics
Communicating information about vaccine safety and efficacy, and breaking down trial information, are important components of science/health communication. Among respondents who are not planning to get a vaccine, one-third reported that more data on harmful side effects and a longer time period of vaccine development would help increase their likelihood of receiving the vaccine.
Another 6% noted that if more people got the vaccine, or if more data on racial/ethnic minority safety were published, they would be more likely to get vaccinated themselves. Still, 12% reported that there was no information or data that would change their mind.
News matters
News sources are likely playing a role in helping people decide whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Over 40% of people reported relying on health-related websites to get information on the COVID-19 vaccine, followed by social media sites (9%), friends and family (9%), and newspaper outlets (7%). Another 16% reported not consulting any source.
Of the 16% who said they did not consult any source for COVID-19 vaccine-related information, only 23% said they were planning on getting the vaccine. In comparison, nearly 70% of the group who primarily used health-related websites said they were planning on getting vaccinated.
Unclear health communication is creating confusion
Our survey also revealed that there is confusion regarding people who have had COVID-19 and whether they need to get the vaccine. In fact, only half of the respondents thought that people who had had COVID-19 needed the vaccine — 16% of people felt that people who had had COVID-19 did not need to be vaccinated, and 31% weren’t sure.
The research is not conclusive at this point, but the CDC has recommended that even those who had COVID-19 and recovered should be vaccinated; this is because reinfection with COVID-19 is possible.
People still aren’t sure whether the vaccine is free
Lastly, there is uncertainty around the vaccine’s price. While 64% of people did not expect to pay for the vaccine, assuming it will be paid for by either insurance companies or the U.S. government, one-quarter of people weren’t sure whether they would need to pay for it or not. And another 7% expected to pay out of pocket, to some degree, for vaccination.
In fact, the vaccine will be completely free for all Americans regardless of vaccine manufacturer, dosing schedule, or health insurance status.
Summing it all up
Getting as many people vaccinated against COVID-19 as possible is critical in our fight to curb the pandemic. However, in order for that to happen, public health efforts need to continue to focus on addressing all concerns about the vaccine, from financial concerns to safety concerns.
The media can also play a powerful role in influencing people’s beliefs; outlets should use this to the country’s advantage as we work towards supporting the nationwide vaccination campaign.
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Co-contributors: Jeroen van Meijgaard, PhD
Methodology
Our survey was run through Google Surveys and was entirely composed of Android smartphone users. The survey ran from February 4 to February 7, 2021; a total of 1,096 responses were collected and analyzed. Participants were excluded from this survey if they had received one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Respondents included people based in the United States, of varying sociodemographic groups. Survey responses were weighted to the U.S. population using age, gender, and geographical location. More information on the Google Survey methodology is available here.
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