Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

"Such resistance is not unprecedented," Gallup wrote. "When Gallup in 1954 asked U.S. adults who had heard or read about the then-new polio vaccine, 'Would you like to take this new polio vaccine (to keep people from getting polio) yourself?' just 60% said they would, while 31% said they would not.

"So far, the willingness to adopt a new vaccine looks similar today. Leaders in favor of a vaccine may be well-served to study what caused the public to ultimately adopt earlier vaccines as they consider how best to influence Americans to take advantage of such an option now."

Politically, 81% of Democrats, 59% of independents and 47% of Republicans said they would take the vaccine.

Gallup polled 7,600 U.S. adults for the survey, which has a margin of error of 2 points.