According to the latest Gallup poll, Americans’ willingness get a coronavirus vaccine has dropped to 50% in late September, a dramatic 11-point fall from the previous month.
Why it matters: This steep drop is further evidence that the vaccine has been politicized. Republicans are now more willing to be vaccinated, while Democrats and independents have become increasingly uncomfortable.
Driving the news: These results follow President Trump’s announcement that he was pushing for a coronavirus vaccine before the election. This timeline is unlikely as the FDA has posted vaccine guidance that requires drugmakers to monitor clinical trial participants for a median of two months after they receive their final dose.
- The decrease is due to many Americans losing confidence in the approval process for the vaccine. According to Gallup, they won’t take an FDA-approved vaccine “right now” because of Trump.
- Since early August, young adults have been consistently more positive about taking the vaccine than middle-aged and older adults.
- Men are 12% more comfortable than women getting the vaccine. The latest poll showed 56% of men versus 44% of women say they would get it.
- Parents of minors are less likely to vaccinate themselves than non-parents. The latest poll shows parents are at its lowest at 44%, while 52% of non-parents still say they would be vaccinated.