The percentage of adults who say they are willing to get the Covid-19 vaccine has risen from September to December, according to a Centers for Disease Control & Prevention report published Tuesday.
However, the report found that a significant percentage of Americans remain hesitant about the vaccine: Only about half of adults under the age of 65 said they were “absolutely certain” or “very likely” to get the vaccine against Covid-19 .
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The CDC report is based on surveys conducted in September and December.
In December, 49 percent of the surveyed adults said they would get the Covid-19 vaccine, up from 39 percent in September. The largest increase was seen in adults 65 and older (66 percent said they intended to receive the vaccine, compared to 49 percent); essential workers (46 percent, versus 37 percent); and adults under 65 with underlying health conditions (42 percent, versus 37 percent).
What’s more, the percentage of Americans who said they did not intend to get the vaccine has declined, from 38 percent in September to 32 percent in December.
Younger adults, women, and black Americans were among the groups that likely said they did not intend to get a vaccine against Covid-19. Adults living in non-metropolitan areas, and adults with a lower level of education, lower income and without health insurance, probably also reported that they did not intend to be vaccinated.
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Among adults who said in December that they did not intend to be vaccinated, side effects (30 percent) were the most common; lack of confidence in government (12 percent); and concerns that the vaccines were developed too quickly (10 percent).
Concerns about safety increased in December compared to September, while concerns that the vaccines were developed too quickly declined.
Fifteen percent of the adults who did not want to take the vaccine said they intended to wait to see if it was safe, and would consider getting it later.
The report highlights the need to boost vaccine confidence in all U.S. populations, including by tailoring messages to address specific problems among individuals.
“Ensuring high and equitable vaccination among all populations, including by addressing reasons not to receive vaccination, is of the utmost importance to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and put an end to the pandemic,” they wrote.
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