The percentage of Americans who say they would probably or definitely get a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available has sharply decreased in just the last few months.
A survey done in mid-September by the Pew Research Center found only 51 percent of respondents would definitely or probably get the vaccine when one became available. A similar survey done in May found 72 percent of participants would definitely or probably get the vaccine. The 21 point drop was all in the “definitely would get the vaccine” category, according to the data.
According to the data, a large drop in the number of American who would get the vaccine was seen in both Republican leaning respondents and Democratic leaning.
Republican participants went from 65 percent would get the vaccine in May to 44 percent in September. Participants who identified as Democratic went from 79 percent would get the vaccine in May to 58 percent in September.
Large drops were seen across gender, race and ethnicity as well.
“About three-quarters of Americans (77%) say it is at least somewhat likely that a vaccine for COVID-19 will be approved and used in the U.S. before it’s fully known whether it is safe and effective, including 36% who say this is very likely to happen,” Pew Research Center wrote of their findings.
Of the 49 percent who would not get a vaccine, the majority of them are worried about potential side effects.
Side effects are also a concern for those who would get the vaccine. Of the 51 percent who said they would probably or definitely get the vaccine, more than half said that if many people were experiencing minor side effects they would reconsider getting the vaccine.
The data came from more than 10,000 Americans surveyed between September 8-13.