One in 4 say they would not get a coronavirus vaccine if one became available, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll.
The poll surveyed 532 adults from May 6-7. Seventy-four percent said that they would take a “safe and effective” vaccine.
People who refuse vaccines tend to be in one of two categories.
“There’s always been an anti-vaccine group of individuals that are going to refuse vaccines no matter what,” Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease expert, said to an ABC affiliate.
Anti-vaccine sentiment in America climbed after actress Jenny McCarthy claimed in 2007 that her son’s autism had been caused by childhood vaccinations. There is no scientific evidence showing a link between vaccines and autism.
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Del Rio, also a professor of medicine, epidemiology, and global health at Emory University, said that the second category is people who worry whether the vaccine is safe and effective. “You always have a sense of anxiety that this is a new vaccine. Is it safe? Is it effective,” he said. “But if a vaccine is safe, then the problem that you run into is complacency. It’s not just the skeptics, it’s truly ones that don’t actively go looking for a vaccine.”
The survey also found that 64% believe that opening up the country is not yet worth it due to the risk to life, versus 34% who believe it is worth it to keep economic damage to a minimum.
