It's complicated and evolving.
Most Americans believe that the best way to overcome the COVID-19 virus is to create a vaccine that is widely distributed and accepted by most of the population. Until that time, most people—regardless of age, income, political affiliation, etc.—believe that things will not return to normal.
In the coming months, we will delve into the complex issue of people’s perception of the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to exploring whether vaccines will be widely accepted, we will also test for behavioral changes, public interactions, travel, and optimism. Our initial survey indicates that just under half of respondents (46.81%) would "get the COVID-19 vaccine today, if it became available."
Perhaps not surprisingly, political affiliation influences views on a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly a third (32%) of respondents who identify as Republicans would get the vaccine ("Strongly Agree" or "Agree"), while twice as many Democrats (63%) would get it today if available.
Last updated on October 16, 2020. Please check back for updates.
Preliminary results based on 235 online survey respondents in the United States. Data from September 4, 2020 through September 7, 2020.
For more information about our survey techniques, click here to visit our Methods page.