But the improvement in attitude is impressive. A similar shift in another heated pandemic issue was reflected in another Kaiser survey this month. He found that nearly 75 percent of Americans now wear masks when they leave home.
The change reflects a constellation of recent events: the decoupling of the election day vaccine; results of clinical trials showing about 95 percent effectiveness and relatively modest side effects for vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna; and the alarming increase in new coronavirus infections and deaths.
“As soon as it’s my turn to get the vaccine, I’ll be there in the front and in the center! I’m very excited and hopeful, ”said Joanne Barnes, 68, a retired elementary school teacher from Fairbanks, Alaska, who told The New York Times last summer that she wouldn’t understand.
What changed your mind?
“The Biden government, again listening to the science and fantastic statistics associated with vaccines,” she replied.