Survey Asks Texans About Vaccine Preference
The University of Houston recently conducted a survey to help understand the public preference regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. The survey was conducted online and examined over 1,300 Texans' attitudes and preferences associated with COVID-19. It explores their views about the vaccine and causes for concern among those uncertain about getting vaccinated.
According to the survey, thirty-eight percent of Texans who responded said they would get the vaccine if it were free and available to them. However, about a fifth of the Texans who responded said they would definitely not get the vaccine, even if it were free.
The Hobby School of Public Affairs tried to create the report to dive deeper into the minds and figure out the positions people have and why. To do so, they presented a few questions to help better answer those types of problems.
The top two reasons given by those who felt they would not ever opt-in to become vaccinated was: the vaccine is too new, so they want to wait to see how the vaccine works, and they are worried about possible side effects.
The development of the vaccine itself was historically quick.
“Normally, it can take two, three, four, five years to have a vaccine developed and approved for wide use,” said Jim Tiessen, director of the Master of Health Administration in Community Care program at Ryerson University. With the worldwide urgency and technology and science at hand, it was possible to quickly push out a vaccine.
However, skepticism is obviously felt in our state, and it's understandable. However, according to the survey, 49% of Texans believe that getting vaccinated is everyone’s responsibility to protect the health of others.
As time goes on, more and more of our population will begin to get vaccinated. Whatever your decision is, it is always responsible for making an educated decision and reading up on everything, don't just listen to YouTube detectives or your next-door neighbor who swears the government is embedded into the bird which has recently nested in her front porch.