As the COVID-19 vaccine spreads across the country, a new survey of 500 adults in San Diego County found that more than half – 56 percent – are willing to get vaccinated.
About 23 percent said they wouldn’t get vaccinated because they rushed to market; 4 percent would not get vaccinated because they oppose vaccines, and 2 percent said they would not because the coronavirus “is not that serious.”
Nine percent of the 500 adults surveyed said they were not sure if they would get vaccinated. And one percent, four people, said they would not get the vaccine because “there is no coronavirus.”
The local survey comes as healthcare professionals across the country begin administering the first doses of vaccines.
San Diego County has received more than 28,000 doses of the vaccine this week and has begun immunizing workers in hospitals and medical units in correctional facilities. The next group scheduled to receive vaccines includes nursing home workers and residents, according to county plans outlined Wednesday.
In the country, 71 percent of the adults surveyed said they would definitely or likely get vaccinated, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey released Tuesday.
Some epidemiologists have calculated that around 70 percent of the population would need to be immunized to stop the pandemic and protect communities.
The virus has killed more than 300,000 people in the United States, including 1,239 in San Diego County.
SurveyUSA surveyed 500 San Diego County adults between Monday and Wednesday for The San Diego Union-Tribune and KGTV-TV. At least 280 respondents said they would get vaccinated if they could.
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Of the ethnic groups that had enough respondents to create a significant sample – whites, Hispanics and Asians – more than 60 percent of whites and Asians said they would get vaccinated, compared to 48 percent of Hispanics surveyed.
Pollsters did not interview enough black people to obtain a meaningful sample for most of the survey questions.
Broken down by political party, 45 percent of Republicans said they would get vaccinated, compared with 53 percent of independents and 62 percent of Democrats.
Precautions
Of the 280 Sandieguinos who said they plan to get vaccinated, 76 percent said they hope to continue taking precautions, such as social distancing and wearing a mask, “in the immediate future.”
10 percent said they would stop taking precautions after two doses of the vaccine, 3 percent said they would stop after one dose, and 5 percent said they were unsure.
7 percent, 20 people, said they are no longer taking any precautions against COVID-19.
With intensive care units at local hospitals nearly full, public health officials worry that seasonal travel will worsen the spread of the pandemic.
When asked about Christmas travel plans, 32 percent of respondents said they normally travel out of town, but only 12 percent plan to do so this year.
Of the 60 who said they plan to leave town for the holidays, 46 percent said they would travel more than 100 miles and 33 percent planned to travel more than 50 miles. To reach their destinations, 66 percent said they would drive and 30 percent said they would fly.
Upon their return, 67 percent said they would self-quarantine and 28 percent said they would not.
2020 and beyond
When asked to guess the future of the virus, 56 percent said the worst is yet to come, 24 percent said the worst is over, and 20 percent were unsure.
Considering all factors, 39 percent of those surveyed said that 2020 was the worst in their history. Slightly fewer, 37 percent, said it was bad, but not the worst.
6 percent said the year was better than expected and 1 percent described it as a great year.
For the new year, 58 percent said they were optimistic, 24 percent pessimistic and 18 percent were unsure.
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