The percentage of adults who say they are willing to receive the Covid-19 vaccine increased from September to December, according to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention published on Tuesday.
However, the report found that a significant percentage of Americans still remain hesitant about the vaccine: only about half of adults under 65 said they were “absolutely right” or “very likely” to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. .
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The CDC report is based on surveys conducted in September and December.
In December, 49% of adults surveyed said they would receive the Covid-19 vaccine, up from 39% in September. The biggest increases were seen in adults 65 and older (66 percent said they intended to get the vaccine, versus 49 percent); essential workers (46%, against 37%); and adults under 65 with underlying health problems (42%, versus 37%).
Furthermore, the percentage of Americans who said they had no intention of getting the vaccine has dropped from 38% in September to 32% in December.
Younger adults, women and black Americans were among the groups most likely to say that they did not intend to be vaccinated with Covid-19. Adults living in non-metropolitan areas and adults with less education, lower income and without health insurance were also more likely to report that they did not plan to be vaccinated.
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Among adults who said in December that they did not plan to be vaccinated, the most common concerns were side effects (30%); lack of confidence in the government (12 percent); and concern that vaccines were developed very quickly (10 percent).
Safety concerns increased in December, compared to September, while concerns that vaccines were developed very quickly eased.
Fifteen percent of adults who do not intend to get the vaccine said they plan to wait and see if it is safe and would consider taking it later.
The report highlights the need to promote confidence in the vaccine in all populations in the U.S., including personalized messages to address specific concerns among individuals, the authors wrote.
“Ensuring high and equitable vaccination coverage among all populations, including addressing the reasons for not wanting to receive vaccination, is critical to preventing the spread of Covid-19 and ending the pandemic,” they wrote.
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