Poll: Majority of Americans Support Restrictions on Unvaccinated People

A majority of Americans support restricting the freedoms of people who have not taken a coronavirus vaccine, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey released this week.

According to the survey, taken March 8-9, 2021, among 1,005 respondents, 72 percent view it as at least somewhat important to know if the people around them have been vaccinated for COVID-19.
The survey listed a series of scenarios for everyday activities — including traveling on an airplane, enrolling in school, working out at the gym — and asked respondents to indicate if they agree that individuals should be required to be vaccinated before engaging in such activities.

Sixty-three percent of all respondents, for example, indicated they either “somewhat” or “strongly” agree with requiring people to get the vaccine before traveling on an airplane, compared to 32 percent who generally disagreed.

Similarly, a majority of respondents, or 59 percent, said people should be required to get a vaccine before enrolling in school. Democrats are far more likely to agree with that sentiment than Republicans, 76 percent to the GOP’s 44 percent.

Fifty-four percent also indicated they agree with requiring someone to get a vaccine before working out at a gym. That includes 30 percent who “strongly” agree. A plurality of Republicans, 49, disagree, compared to the 44 percent who agree and seven percent who say they remain unsure.

Additionally, 56 percent expressed the view the people should receive a vaccinate to work in an office, as well as attend a concert or go to a theater.

The survey’s margin of error for all respondents is +/- 4 percent.

President Joe Biden announced during Thursday’s primetime address, which marked the one-year anniversary of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, that all U.S. adults will be eligible for vaccination by May 1.

“That’s much earlier than expected,” he said, clarifying it does not mean the shots will come immediately.

The White House

“It means you’ll be able to get in line beginning May 1. Every adult will be eligible to get their shot. And to do this, we’re going to go from a million shots a day that I promised in December before I was sworn in, to maintaining, beating our current pace of 2 million shots a day, outpacing the rest of the world,” he added.