Most In NC Will Seek Coronavirus Vaccine: Survey Results

NORTH CAROLINA — As the spread of coronavirus continues to speed through North Carolina and the nation, public health officials are counting the days to federal approval of vaccinations. Most in North Carolina will either commit to getting or consider getting any newly approved coronavirus vaccines once they become available in the state; however, some said they were left less confident in the vaccination effort due to the Trump administration's involvement, according to a Patch survey of readers.

The survey of nearly 150 responses is a non-scientific effort intended to show reader sentiment.

About 85,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine are expected to arrive in North Carolina by mid-December, and state public health leaders recently outlined how state public health officials plan to roll out the vaccine. The state is expected to receive doses of the Pfizer vaccine, as well as another one by Moderna, upon their approval. Front-line health care workers and elderly people in long-term facilities will be the first to receive it, Gov. Roy Cooper said.

The Pfizer vaccine was approved in the United Kingdom last week, making it the first Western country to start using it.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen addressed concern late last week about the speed that the vaccine was rolled out and its safety. Questions have also been raised about the role of politics in its development, with the vaccine becoming a hot topic during the presidential campaigns.

We asked North Carolina Patch readers what they thought about vaccines in general, about the forthcoming coronavirus vaccine and about their thoughts on federal government involvement in its development.

"My concern is will employers now add this question on applications. Have you received the vaccine?" one reader said. "Will it mean the difference in getting the job?"

When it comes to vaccinations in general, North Carolina readers are overwhelmingly in support of them, with about 79 percent stating they believe in vaccination and try to keep theirs up to date. About 10 percent of respondents said they believe in vaccinations but admitted that they can be slack in keeping them up to date. Almost 6 percent of respondents said they avoid vaccines due to mistrust, and 1 percent of those taking the survey said they did not believe in vaccinations at all.

When it comes to taking the flu vaccine, most are heeding public health advice and getting one this year, with 81.4 percent stating they have already gotten one or intend to get one. More than 16 percent said they were not getting the flu shot this year, and slightly more than 2 percent said they were not sure.

When it comes to requiring vaccinations in the community — such as in schools — support increases, with more than 86 percent of respondents believing there should be some sort of requirement, according to the survey. Of those respondents, nearly 47 percent, said they believed vaccinations should be required for all children attending school, and nearly 40 percent stated vaccines should be required for all children with limited exceptions. Nearly 14 percent said that they believed vaccines should be given to children at the parents' sole discretion.

The majority of survey respondents — more than 85 percent — said they would likely get a coronavirus vaccine; however, not all were aligned on timing. More than 56 percent said they intended to get the vaccine as soon as possible, while 29 percent said they would only when it's been in use long enough to make sure it's safe and effective. Nearly 11 percent said they did not intend to get the vaccine at all, and about 4 percent said they weren't sure.

The federal government's support of vaccine development through Operation Warp Speed was largely viewed favorably by most survey respondents, with 54 percent saying it was a great example of how science and government can work together for the public good. Twenty-seven 27 percent said they thought the vaccine development process was rushed, which led to concerns that safety might have been compromised, and about 19 percent said neither of those statements described their view.

When it comes to the Trump administration's involvement in vaccine development, there was some division among respondents. More than 34 percent said the administration's involvement left them feeling less confident in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, while nearly 19 percent said it made them feel more confident. About 47 percent of respondents said the Trump administration's involvement left them neither more nor less confident.

Lastly, we asked if readers had additional comments. Below are a few of the highlighted comments.

• Doctors, the CDC, and the FDA have overseen the ongoing creation of vaccines. They are who I listen to when it comes down to my health and who should take it. No one else plays any role whatsoever, but them in my decision.
• I have watched, read and followed the news on these vaccines. Given the amount of people who volunteered to test these vaccines, and the transparency when they ran into issues, I feel confident in getting this vaccine for myself and my loved ones.
• It's quite honestly ridiculous to distrust a potential vaccine because you don't like the President. I trust the pharmaceutical manufacturers and their quality assurance processes for getting this vaccine into place. The speed at which the vaccine was developed is not politically motivated; worldwide health is at stake.
• Throughout history there have been times like this where we have no choice on taking a vaccine for the common good. COVID should never have become a political football.
• Trust the Science and Medical Expert. If this administration did not interfere with the CDC, and by hiring a non infectious person to speak with the Public, a sense of distrust, the level of distrust would not be so high.
• Once the vaccine is available, I will get it. I think students and staff in K-12 schools and colleges/universities should be the priority to get the vaccine because education plays a very important role in life. It's very important to get students back to school as early as possible.
• I find it appalling and ridiculous that people would base a medical decision on who is in a political office.