The percentage of Americans who get a COVID-19 vaccine is directly related to important pandemic outcome metrics — cases, hospitalization and deaths. This, in turn, makes vaccine hesitancy (or vaccine refusal as some now call it) one of the most important public health issues facing the nation. …
The more one looks into the literature on vaccine uptake — including vaccine hesitancy work conducted internationally and conducted on vaccines prior to the COVID-19 era — the more one realizes how extensive it is. But three conclusions appear to be justified. First, there is room for vaccine uptake improvement in the U.S. Second, vaccine hesitancy is deeply entrenched with the partisan differences in views of the world that control much of American social and political discourse these days. Third, efforts to control vaccine-related behavior through mandates may be more effective than attitudinal campaigns. CONTINUED
Frank Newport, Gallup
The OPINION TODAY email newsletter is a concise daily rundown of significant new poll results and insightful analysis. It’s FREE. Sign up here: opiniontoday.substack