Reason 1: Lack of access, real or perceived According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s surveys, about 4 percent of Americans intend to get the vaccine as soon as possible but haven’t yet and another 12 percent are in wait-and-see mode. Particularly among these segments of the population, access is still likely a major barrier. Reason 2: Covid-19 isn’t seen as a threat Even after the past year, some Americans still don’t see the coronavirus as a serious threat. Maybe they’re young, seeing that the virus isn’t as deadly for them as it is for older groups. They could be Republicans, who bought into former President Donald Trump’s claims that the coronavirus wasn’t a big deal and that Democrats, experts, and journalists have exaggerated its risk. Polls show both groups tend to be less likely to want to get vaccinated.