Poll finds Massachusetts adults unlikely to get the vaccine. Will you be ready?
Trevor Ballantyne
State House News Service reporter Michael P. Norton contributed to this report.
More than a third of Massachusetts adults would be unlikely to get the vaccine for COVID-19, according to the results of a new poll, with adults who feel that way citing a lack of trust in the approval process and concerns about side effects.
The poll, which found nearly 60 percent of adults said they were likely to get the vaccine, was conducted by phone over a one-month period ending Nov. 24.
What do you think? Are you prepared to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available? Why, or Why not?
Send us an email with the subject line, "COVID Vaccine" and let us know your thoughts. Submissions should be sent to needham@wickedlocal.com and limited to 500 words.
The Western New England University Polling Institute surveyed 415 adults and also found that 90 percent said they support their city or town requiring people to wear masks in public places, the State House News Service reported Tuesday.
"Despite the suffering and deprivation that people may have encountered either firsthand or through the experiences of others during the pandemic, a sizable percentage of the public right now is not convinced about the value of getting a vaccine," said the polling institute's director, Tim Vercellotti.
"Of course, these numbers may fluctuate as the public receives more information and as distribution of vaccines gets underway," he added.
Analysts believe a limited quantity of vaccine could be released this month, pending government approval, and public officials are deliberating over who will be the first to get vaccinated, with health care workers and older Americans with underlying health conditions among the groups likely to get access first.
What do you think? Are you prepared to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available? Send us an email with the subject line, "COVID Vaccine" and let us know what you think. Submissions should be sent to needham@wickedlocal.com and limited to 500 words.