https://www.kff.org/report-section/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-february-2021-findings
New update to the KFF Vaccine Monitor survey for February. I had meant to post about January's data.
Not a whole lot has changed in the polling, but some decrease in vaccine hesitancy in the wait and see group. 55% now are either vaccinated or intend to as soon as possible. 22% will wait and see. 77% that are reachable is quite good relatively speaking compared to other countries. 7% will only get it if required. 15% will not be getting it ever.
Republicans still remain quite opposed to getting the vaccine with 28% definitely not getting it and 10% only if required. Black and Hispanic Americans are becoming a bit less vaccine hesitant and most of the hesitant are waiting and seeing as opposed to outright refusal. Only about 14% of Black Americans will definitely not get the vaccine and 9% only if required.
Though it was interesting that more people that are vaccine hesitant would be more likely to get the one dose vaccine vs the two dose vaccines, so J&J's vaccine might actually be an interesting tool to reach the holdouts.
Also interesting is that while Black Americans are fairly vaccine hesitant, elderly Black Americans are not very vaccine hesitant. So the topline vaccine hesitancy might not be as fatal for this group as first expected if most elderly Black Americans get the vaccines.
A significant correlate with less vaccine hesitancy is living with someone that has been vaccinated already, so don't discount the effect your actions have on those around you here. Tell people you got vaccinated and encourage them to do so.
If we intend to get to herd immunity, I'm not sure how we will manage it without some form of social pressure via work/congregate setting requirements. Such measures would get us to a national rate of 85%, which is likely to be the threshold we need to get herd immunity. Without them we would only get to 77%, which is probably insufficient. These requirements seem essential in Republican/rural areas of the country where they would boost rates by 10%.