19 Dec. 2020. Polls over the past few months show a majority of Americans are willing to take one of the new vaccines to prevent Covid-19 infections, but also with a large reluctant segment of the public, particularly among ethnic and racial minorities. A survey this month, however, shows growing acceptance of Covid-19 vaccines across racial and ethnic lines, with Black Americans somewhat less willing than White or Hispanic Americans.
The Kaiser Family Foundation conducted the survey. The results show seven in 10 Americans overall (71%) definitely or probably willing to get a Covid-19 vaccine, while less than three in 10 (27%) say they’re definitely or probably not getting the vaccine. In September, less than two-thirds of Americans (63%) said they would get the vaccine, compared to about one-third (34%) expressing reluctance.
The increase in willingness to take a Covid-19 vaccine is seen across racial and ethnic groups. Roughly seven in 10 White (73%) and Hispanic Americans (71%) say they’re now definitely or probably getting the vaccine, compared to about a quarter of each group (26%) still unwilling to receive it. Among Black Americans, the gap between willing and unwilling recipients is somewhat smaller, with 62 percent definitely or probably getting the vaccine and 35 percent still reluctant.
In September, Black Americans were split about 50/50 on their willingness to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, while White and Hispanic Americans were divided roughly two-to-one willing to unwilling to get it. The September data come from a Kaiser foundation poll conducted with The Undefeated, a web site exploring the intersection of race, sports, and culture affiliated with ESPN.
The Kaiser foundation’s December poll, part of its ongoing Covid-19 Vaccine Monitor series, sampled 1,676 adults in the U.S. by random-digit telephone dialing between 30 Nov. and 8 Dec.
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