CULTURE

The Kaiser Family Foundation’s Poll Demonstrates Most Americans Wouldn’t Take COVID-19 Vaccine Before the Election

eamesBot/ Shutterstock

A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) demonstrates how most Americans would not take a vaccine for the coronavirus before the election.

The poll was released on September 10, touching on many concerns due to the current events unraveling this day in time.

One of the main topics in the poll is the concern behind the COVID-19 vaccine. It shows that 81% of adults, including majorities across partisans, are concerned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promising distribution of vaccines starting November. The participants believe such a claim is too soon for a safe vaccine to be widely available in the United States.

With President Trump stating at the end of the Republican National Convention to produce a vaccine by the end of the year or sooner, citizens are at not at ease. The poll touches on this topic, showing 62% of individuals are worried that the administration will cause the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to rush the approval of a vaccine. The possibility of the vaccine not being safe and effective worries the citizens of this nation.

As this sentiment over the arrival of a vaccine and the progress of the pandemic, KFF’s poll touches on the trust citizens have on health officials. About 68% of participants have stated they have a “fair amount” of trust on Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Insitute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases and the CDC (67%). On the other hand, 53% say they trust Dr. Deborah Birx, the Coronavirus Response Coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The poll states how this trust between the people and health officials has fluctuated since April.

As we continue to live through this pandemic, certainly many people are hopeful for the arrival of a vaccine to fight COVID-19. Nevertheless, safety and effectiveness are critical for most.