Following the launch of the COVID-19 vaccination program, six in ten Australians (64%) say they plan to have a vaccine when it becomes available to them, including almost four in ten (39%) who definitely plan to. However, a further one in five are undecided (4%) or would need further information (17%), and 15% say they do not plan to have a vaccine (including 6% who ‘definitely’ do not plan to).
True Issues is a research tool to assist Australian businesses to understand where their issues truly sit within the contemporary issues landscape. This poll was conducted as an online survey between 18th – 22nd February among a representative national sample of 1,000 Australians aged 18+ years.
Women and 35-54 year olds appear most uncertain about the vaccines – with slightly higher levels of indecision and slightly lower levels of intention to be vaccinated, relative to men and other age groups.
Questions around vaccine safety, particularly in relation to pregnancy and fertility, may be impacting attitudes among women, while public debate around the efficacy of different vaccines may also be contributing to younger adults’ uncertainty.
Despite widespread recognition of the vaccines’ potential benefits, particularly among older adults aged 55+ years, many Australians are concerned about their safety and side effects (58%) and that the trials and approval processes have been too rushed (52%).
Still, at least six in ten Australians agree getting vaccinated is ‘the right thing to do’ (66%), that the vaccines will make us safer (63%) and help us get back to a new ‘normal’ (62%). A majority also agree they will stop us from getting and spreading COVID-19 (53%), or becoming as sick if we contract the virus (56%).
This was an excerpt from our latest True Issues report, to read the full report, click the link below.
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