9 in 10 say pandemic not controlled; two-thirds intend to vaccinate
• 5 min read
Why are people hesitant to trust a COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines are proven to reduce deaths and help end pandemics, but the historic speed that the coronavirus vaccines have been developed has made some people hesitant to take them.Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Nearly 9 in 10 Americans say the coronavirus pandemic is not under control in the United States, but far fewer say they ll get vaccinated against it, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll finds.
As the country endures record levels of daily COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, 52% say the virus is not at all under control, up sharply from 35% (among registered voters) in October. The view is deeply partisan; 7 in 10 Democrats and 55% of independents say the virus is not at all under control, versus 28% of Republicans.
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A certain amount of faith is required when venturing into the unknown. This is especially true when it comes to new medical advancements.
Luckily, Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, had faith in science on Dec. 14, the day she became the first person to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the U.S. (She received her second and final vaccine dose a little over three weeks later.)
“It is rooted in science, I trust science, and the alternative and what I have seen and experienced is far worse,” Lindsay told The New York Times, regarding her decision to get vaccinated. “So it’s important that everyone pulls together to take the vaccine, not only to protect themselves but also to protect everyone they will come into contact with.”