Significant skepticism exists surrounding an expected COVID-19 vaccine

Stefan, Medisafe

• 
  Stefan Cangea
• 
  Medisafe

October 20, 2020

Data Synopsis:

• Only 21% of people will take the vaccine as soon as it is available
• 9% admit they will never trust a COVID-19 vaccine
• Men are more likely than women to get vaccinated immediately
• 60% of people do not feel very confident that a vaccine will be available by year’s end

Dig Deeper:

According to a 16,000 patient survey conducted by Medisafe, a medication management company, 65% of participants will not get the vaccine immediately as it becomes available. They will wait until their doctor approves it or until enough people get the vaccine to know it works. Only 21% of people will take the vaccine as soon as it is available, while 9% admit they will never trust a COVID-19 vaccine.

The strong skepticism arises from several factors. First, in recent years there has been a growth in the general anti-vaccine movement. With the proliferation of social media and independent opinions, science is now just one of many voices on the topic. Additionally, since the 2000s the number of required childhood vaccines has increased and some religious groups have pushed back.

Secondly, with the public-private partnership dubbed “Operation Warp Speed,” many people feel the vaccine development process is being rushed beyond a safe limit. 64% of the Medisafe survey participants share that sentiment and 60% do not feel very confident that a vaccine will be available by year’s end.

Lastly, as America is strongly divided across party lines, many critics of the Trump administration are skeptical of the vaccine’s timing surrounding the upcoming election while some are even opposed to embracing the potential success of a vaccine.

A significant divergence also exists between the sexes. Men are more likely than women to get vaccinated immediately as a vaccine becomes available, 26% vs 16%. In fact, 11% of women admit the will never trust a vaccine while only 6% of men feel the same way.

As a sign of a general distrust of an eventual COVID-19 vaccine, of the 9% of participants who say that they will never trust a vaccine, 20% have already received a flu shot or plan to get one. However, Americans can take solace in knowing that proper patient education will result in responsible action. Over the recent years there has been a strong marketing push for the seasonal flu vaccine and as such 72% percent of survey participants said they would get a flu shot or have already received one. Additionally, the fear and indications of a second wave of COVID-19 should further convince Americans to cast aside their skepticism of vaccines for the collective good and safety of the country.

To learn more about the data behind this article and what Medisafe has to offer, visit www.medisafe.com.