Three in four adults would get a COVID-19 vaccine, if available: Survey

A recent survey has revealed that three out of four people will be willing to take the vaccine for coronavirus, if it is rolled out this year.

On behalf of World Economic Forum, Ipsos MORI conducted a survey of nearly 20,000 adults from 27 countries. 

As per the results compiled, around 74 per cent people said that they would get a vaccine for COVID-19 if it were available saying “if a vaccine for COVID-19 were available, I would get it”. However, 59 per cent people said they had no hope that the vaccination will be rolled out by the end of this year.

Out of people who said they would not want to get their hopes high for the vaccination, 56 per cent said they would be scared about the side effects of the vaccination, and 29 per cent said they are not sure if the vaccine will be effective.

Out of 74 per cent who agreed to use the vaccine, only 37 per cent strongly agree while 37 per cent somewhat agree.

The number of people who agreed to using the vaccine is significantly more than those who doubt the effectiveness of it. Countries such as China (97 per cent), Brazil (88 per cent), Australia (88 per cent), and India (87 per cent) are the main countries where people showed more confidence in the vaccine.

However, residents of countries such as Russia (54 per cent), Poland (56 per cent), Hungary (56 per cent), and France (59 per cent) said that they would not use the vaccine even if it is available.

Also read| Widespread Covid-19 vaccinations not expected until mid-2021: WHO

Globally, on an average, 56 per cent people said they would not use the vaccine, fearing the side effects of it. Out of the 56 per cent, 70 per cent were from Spain, 68 per cent in Sweden, 41 per cent in Argentina and 40 per cent in Saudi Arabia.

Further, 29 per cent people said they are not sure the vaccine will be effective and the third most common reason is the perception of not being enough at risk from COVID-19, cited by 19 per cent globally, with majority of these people being in India.

China tops the list of countries where the citizens believe that the vaccine will be available this year, with 87 per cent showing a positive attitude, followed by 75 per cent in Saudi Arabia and 74 per cent in India. However, residents of Germany, Belgium, Japan, and Poland have less or no hope about the vaccine being ready this year.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos between July 24 and August 7, 2020 on its Global Advisor online survey platform among a total of 19,519 adults, aged 18-74 in United States, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, and Turkey, and aged 16-74 in 22 other countries.