One-third of Americans say they WON'T get vaccinated against the coronavirus, new survey finds - despite warnings that COVID-19 will likely 'be with us for years'
More than 30 percent of Americans say they won't be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus once a jab is developed, a new survey suggests.
The report, from PR firm Bospar, found that one-third of adults did not trust being immunized against the virus that has killed more than 69,000 in the US.
Among age groups, those between ages 18 and 24 (made up of Generation Z and Millennials) were the least likely to vaccinate.
However, almost half of the participants said they would 'respect the choice' of those who chose not to inoculate against the killer infection.
The results are surprising, especially on the heels of health experts warning the public that the virus will likely 'be with us for years.'
In a new survey, 30.7% of US adults said they had no plans to get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. Pictured: A woman undergoes a vaccine trial at Oxford University in the UK
Americans between ages 18 and 24 were the least likely to get vaccinated with only 57.8% saying they'd get the jab. Pictured: COVID-19 patients are taken into to the Wakefield Campus of the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York, April 6
'I've been looking at the news a lot and seeing a lot of these protests [against stay-at-home orders] taking place and following the what-if scenarios of what the future will hold,' lead investigator Curtis Sparrer, a principal at Bospar, told DailyMail.com.
'These two forces go together of what would a future with a vaccine look like.
'I've been disappointed a lot more times that I've been made proud by our response and I said: "I bet a lot of people won't take [the vaccine]."'
For the survey, market research firm Propeller Insights recruited more than 1,000 adults and had them fill out a questionnaire between April 28 and 29.
They were asked questions about whether or not they would be vaccinated against the coronavirus and their views on others who chose not to be.
While the majority of Americans said they would be vaccinated against the coronavirus when they can, an astonishing 30.7 percent said they would not.
Sparrer said no one answered questions about why they wouldn't get vaccinated but believe it's due to classic anti-vaxx views.
'Our beliefs are it would track with much of the typical vaccine rhetoric: that it causes something else, that it leads to COVID-19 infection, suspicion of the medical industry itself,' he said.
'COVID-19 has not the changed the face of this group of people that is profoundly selfish and short-sighted.'
Baby boomers and the silent generation were the most likely to be vaccinated with 78.3 percent saying they would be immunized.
Curtis Sparrer (pictured), a principal at Bospar, said he was surprised after nearly 50% of participants said they would 'respect their choice' of people who chose not to be inoculated
Meanwhile, younger participants between ages 18 and 24 were the least likely with 57.6 percent saying they would not be vaccinated.
Sparrer says he believes this is due to young people believing they're less likely to fall ill.
'People who are younger have a false sense of invincibility while people who are older are not only concerned about it through news reports, but are also acquainted with their own mortality by having lived longer,' he said.
Men were more likely than women to say they would be get a jab against COVID-19 and Democrats were 16 percent more likely than Republican to say they had plans to be immunized.
Heterosexuals are more likely than those in the LGBTQIA community to vaccinate at 71.5 percent versus 55.9 percent.
There were also educational divides. While more than 81 percent of those with a master's degree or higher said they would be vaccinated, only 60.3 percent of people with a high school diploma or less said the same.
However, the majority of Americans were respectful when it came to choosing to vaccinate or not to vaccinate.
When asked how they would respond to Americans who won't vaccinate against the virus, nearly 50 percent said they would 'respect their choice.'
'I was surprised by that. I thought there would be a bit of an outrage,' Sparrer said.
About 38 percent said they would physically avoid non-vaccinators and 25 percent said they would try to pressure non-vaccinators to change their minds.
More than one in 10 Americans - about 11 percent - said they don't care whether or not others elect to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
The topic is particularly close to Sparrer's heart because he believes he contracted the virus while visiting New York in January.
He hopes the survey helps to educate Americans about why it's necessary to take precautions against the disease.
'I didn't want to get anyone sick and I wasn't able to test myself...so I stayed quarantined until my symptoms went away,' he said.
'I'm surprised by the cavalier attitude of so many people who think they can take their chances, and not think about the people who are not as healthy and don't have the chance.
One-third of Americans say they WON'T get vaccinated against the coronavirus, new survey finds - despite warnings that COVID-19 will likely 'be with us for years'
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May 06, 2020
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