With the promising news about a coronavirus vaccine, more Americans say they are willing to take a free, FDA-approved vaccine to prevent the virus than did so a month ago. In a Gallup panel survey, 58 percent are now willing to get the vaccine, compared to 50 percent in late September.

Still, many are not ready to take the vaccine quite yet. Thirty-nine percent told Axios/Ipsos that they were very or somewhat likely to get the first generation vaccine as soon as it become available, but 60 percent said they were not very or not likely at all to do so. Those responses were perfectly reversed when asked about a vaccine on the market for a few months. Sixty percent said they would be very or somewhat likely to take it, but 39 percent said they would not. 

In two other questions from the panel survey, 68 percent said they were likely to take a vaccine that has been proven safe and effective by public health officials, and 61 percent said they would get one that is more than 90 percent effective, according to pharmaceutical companies.

To read more about public opinion on the coronavirus pandemic, see the new issue of AEI Political Report here.

This article by Karlyn Bowman and Samantha Goldstein first appeared in AEIdeas on November 23, 2020.

Image: Reuters.