One Third of People Reluctant to Take COVID Vaccine Got Their Information From Facebook
Among the respondents who said they primarily got their information from Facebook, 23 percent said they would get the vaccine "as soon as possible," 29 percent said they would "wait and see" about the coronavirus shot, and 21 percent said they would get the vaccine "only if required."
Over one-third, 36 percent of people reluctant to receive the coronavirus vaccine got their information from Facebook, according to a poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
The foundation found that Facebook is a key media source for many Americans as at least one in five adults across all levels of enthusiasm about the coronavirus vaccine got their information from the social media site.
Among the respondents who said they primarily got their information from Facebook, 23 percent said they would get the vaccine "as soon as possible," 29 percent said they would "wait and see" about the coronavirus shot, and 21 percent said they would get the vaccine "only if required."
Most who said they "definitely will not get" the coronavirus vaccine got their information from Facebook, followed by YouTube with 13 percent of respondents.
Significant fewer Americans who got their information from social media sites Instagram and Twitter said they "definitely will not get" the coronavirus vaccine, 5 percent and 4 percent respectively.
The poll also found that adults who said they wanted to receive the COVID-19 vaccine "as soon as possible" have got much of their information about the immunization from cable news, 51 percent, and network television news, 48 percent.
The poll was conducted from January 11 to January 18 and collected data from over 1,500 adults living in the U.S. It has a margin of error of 3 points.
A nurse prepares a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on March 14, in Stamford, Connecticut. Over one third of people who said they are reluctant to receive the vaccine got their information from Facebook.A nurse prepares a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on March 14, in Stamford, Connecticut. Over one third of people who said they are reluctant to receive the vaccine got their information from Facebook.Photo by John Moore/Getty Images/Getty ImagesWith more than 98 million doses of the vaccine administered, the U.S. is on track to reach President Joe Biden's goal of delivering 100 million doses of the vaccine to Americans in his first 100 days in nearly half that amount of time.
About 18 percent of the U.S. population has already received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and, during his presidential address on March 11, Biden announced that he would direct states to make all adults eligible for the vaccine by May 1.
Although some express concerns about the vaccine, the majority of Americans said they are "very interested" in getting vaccinated, according to a Friday Reuters/Ipsos poll. The poll found that 54 percent of Americans are enthusiastic about receiving the vaccine, up from 41 percent that expressed that opinion in January.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided amended guidelines for those who have been fully vaccinated. The CDC said fully vaccinated people can safely gather indoors with unvaccinated people who are not high risk without face masks, as well as participate in some other activities.
Newsweek reached out to Facebook, but didn't hear back in time for publication.
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