Vaccine Acceptance COVID

Rolling Out the Vaccine:

A survey of Massachusetts residents on COVID-19 vaccine issues

The Museum of Science/League/MassINC poll on the public’s attitudes toward a COVID-19 vaccine was released to the media today under a strict embargo. The results are promising with two overarching messages:

• This is the first poll demonstrating that for a large majority, vaccine uptake is a matter of when, not if. This should give us hope. It boils down to social proof:  I’ll do it if others do. But it also signals major risks around inequities.
• Doctors are the most trusted messengers, but everyone has a role to play to ensure we have swift and equitable vaccine uptake.

KEY DATA:

• 36 percent plan to take the vaccine right away, while 47 percent say they will wait until after either a few or many people have taken it. Just 7 percent say they will never take it.
• 38 percent of white residents say they will take the vaccine “as soon as possible” compared to 28 percent of Black residents and 22 percent of Latinx residents. 
• This number differs more when gender is factored in:
• White men: 44%     White women: 31%    
• Black men: 36%       Black women: 19%
• Latino men: 23%     Latina women: 21%
• 80 percent say they completely or mostly trust their personal doctors to tell them when a vaccine works and is safe, the highest of any group
• 65 percent express concern that the vaccine has not been thoroughly tested, and 61 percent say they are reluctant to trust the government on healthcare issues, the two biggest concerns about taking the vaccine

The poll was fielded in English and Spanish and oversampled Black and Latinx populations to ensure that they were accurately represented in the survey:   

• The poll demonstrates that Black and Latinx populations appreciate that a vaccine can help end the pandemic and save lives.
• It also is a warning that without a focused effort, we could see major inequities in early vaccination uptake.
• We as the community-based healthcare community – particularly our doctors, as the most trusted messengers according to the poll – have an opportunity to reach out to communities to build trust in the vaccine.
• The results also call for partnership and coordination with state-wide community and healthcare leaders and institutions like the Museum of Science.
• The weeks and months ahead will offer one of the biggest tests, and opportunities, we have faced in science communication. This effort must focus on two things: 1) showcasing vaccine safety during the first phase of distribution among healthcare workers, and 2) educating about why a vaccine could safely be developed this fast.

Please see the attached press release and MassINC slide deck for more detail, and stay tuned for more information on the survey and how it will be shared in the coming days and weeks.

Many, many thanks,

Kerin and Michael

Kerin O’Toole | VP, Public Affairs   

Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers