U.S. and U.K. are optimistic indicators for COVID-19 vaccination uptake
A new Ipsos survey conducted in partnership with the World Economic Forum after the first COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States and the United Kingdom points to a recent uptick in vaccination intent in both countries.
The 15-country survey conducted December 17-20 among 13,500 adults on Ipsos’s Global Advisor online platform finds the highest levels of vaccination intent in China with 80% agreeing they would get a vaccine if it were available.
Among the other countries surveyed, intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is:
- Fairly high in Brazil (78%), Mexico (77%), the U.K. (77%), Australia (75%), South Korea (75%), and Canada (71%);
- Middling in the U.S. (69%); Germany (65%), Italy (62%), Spain (62%), and Japan (60%); but
- Low in South Africa (53%), Russia (43%), and most of all, France (40%).
Since October, the percentage of those who strongly or somewhat agree has increased in the U.S. (+5 points), but it has dropped markedly in many of the other countries – most of all in South Africa (-15 points), France (-14), Japan (-9), and South Korea (-8).
However, the proportion of those who strongly agree is up significantly not only in the U.S. (+9 points to 38%), but also in the U.K (+5 to 46%). It has fallen in several countries, but none shows a drop of more than seven points.
Reasons for not taking a vaccine
In every country, between 57% and 80% of those who say they would not take a COVID-19 vaccine mention being worried about the side effects.
Doubts about its effectiveness are the second-most common reason in many countries, cited by as many as 45% in Russia, but only 17% in Japan.
Not being enough at risk from COVID-19 is mentioned by 32% in China and 25% in the U.K., but only by 8% in South Korea.
Opposition to vaccines in general is cited by about one in four of those who won’t get a COVID-19 vaccine in Russia and South Africa, but by fewer than 10% in South Korea, Japan, and China.
