Most Americans don't plan to get another COVID shot
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A majority of Americans (60%) don't plan to get the most current COVID vaccine, according to new survey results from the Pew Research Center.
Why it matters: There is a deep partisan divide around vaccination against COVID, especially among adults over the age of 65 who remain at increased risk for severe complications from the disease.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in June recommended everyone over the age of 6 months get an updated COVID vaccine ahead of the coming respiratory virus season.
Zoom in: About 60% of Democrats surveyed said they probably will or already have gotten the updated vaccine, compared with just 18% of Republicans.
- About 30% of Republican seniors said they have gotten or likely would get the vaccine, compared with 84% of Democrats ages 65 and up.
This stark partisan divide between older adults is new, according to the Pew Research Center.
- After the first COVID vaccines became available in 2021, there was only a 15-point difference in uptake between Republican and Democrat seniors.
The intrigue: Black and Asian adults of all ages were more likely to report getting or planning to get the updated vaccine than white and Hispanic adults.
Between the lines: 60% of people who said they probably won't get an updated jab cited concern about side effects as a major reason.
- 61% said they didn't think they needed it.
- Just over a quarter of respondents who don't plan to get the shot said a major reason for their choice is that they don't generally get vaccines.
What we're watching: Trump's nominee to lead the Health and Human Services Department, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is a vaccine skeptic who has repeatedly perpetuated false claims about vaccine safety. His influence could affect future COVID vaccine recommendations.
