Only 48 percent of Americans say they would get a vaccine for the Chinese coronavirus, “the lowest point in Morning Consult polling,” according to a Morning Consult survey released Monday.
According to the survey, taken October 8-10, 2020, among 2,200 U.S. adults, 48 percent of Americans now say that they would get a coronavirus vaccine, down from Morning Consult’s high of 72 percent who said they would in April.
When asked if they would get a vaccine “that protects from the coronavirus” if one became available, 48 percent said they would, followed by 27 percent who said they would not, and a quarter who indicated that they do not know.
While a majority of Democrats, 55 percent, said they would get a vaccine, that is down from the 60 percent of Democrats who said the same last week. Only 48 percent of Republicans said they would get a vaccine, with 41 percent of independents saying the same. Thirty-one percent of Republicans said they would not get a vaccine, as did 27 percent of independents.
Morning Consult reported:
Overall willingness has hovered around 50 percent throughout September, fueled primarily by a sharp drop among Democrats since mid-August, around the time reports of White House interference at the Food and Drug Administration and other federal health agencies began to command more public attention. The previous low among all adults was 49 percent, hit in the Sept. 18-20 poll.
The margin of error is +/- two percent.
President Trump, who has since tested negative for the Chinese virus after undergoing treatment last weekend, said that the vaccination will likely come after the election.
“I think we should have it before the election, but politics gets involved and that’s ok. They want to play their games. It’s going to be right after the election,” he said in an October 7 message.
During last week’s vice presidential debate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) stated that she would not take a vaccine if Trump recommended it.
“If the Trump administration approves a vaccine, before or after the election, should Americans take it, and would you take it?” moderator Susan Page asked.
“If the public health professionals, if Dr. Fauci, if the doctors tell us that we should take it, I’ll be the first in line to take it, absolutely. But if Donald Trump tells us that we should take it, I’m not taking it,” Harris responded.