Public acceptance of RSV vaccine increases as hesitancy peaks

After one year of availability, vaccines to protect newborns and older adults from respiratory syncytial virus are not widely available to Americans, according to a new health study conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) in November 2024. It is becoming accepted.

More than half (52%) of U.S. adults would vaccinate pregnant people to protect infants from RSV (RS virus) efficacy rate is up from 42% in October 2023, just after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the vaccine. Additionally, 61% of respondents said RSV vaccines for adults 60 and older are effective, up from 54% in October 2023.

Even though there are currently no signs of a deadly “triple pandemic” in which influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus infections fill emergency rooms in the fall and winter of 2022. , the effectiveness of the RSV vaccine has been recognized. The death toll on the 23rd could exceed 100,000. As of December 20, 2024, CDC reports overall moderate acute respiratory illness; flu season As levels continue to rise across the country, COVID-19 activity is increasing from low levels in some parts of the country, and in most parts of the United States, especially young children.

The rise also comes as several of President-elect Donald Trump's nominees to policy-leading health posts have questioned the efficacy and safety of vaccines, particularly the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said “no.” “Vaccines” are safe and effective, and CDC chief nominee Dave Weldon, like Kennedy, has promoted the false link between vaccines and autism.

APPC's findings are based on a nationally representative panel survey of 1,771 U.S. adults conducted November 14-24, 2024, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. More information about the investigation can be found at the end of this news release or top line.

Vaccine hesitancy may have reached a plateau

Evidence has shown that vaccine hesitancy is increasing over the past few years. (See October 2023 research release. “As belief in health misinformation increases, trust in vaccines decreases.”) However, several indicators in the November survey, including the RSV survey results mentioned above, indicate that public acceptance of vaccination has increased slightly or remained stable.

• 86% of respondents say the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) is safe, up from 81% in October 2023. This rebound has brought us back to 88% who said they felt safe in August 2022.
• 83% say the flu vaccine is safe, unchanged from October 2023.
• 65% say coronavirus vaccines are safe, unchanged from last fall.
• Perceptions of the effectiveness of various other vaccines remain unchanged from October 2023.
• More than three-quarters of people would recommend different vaccines to family members and household members if needed.

Additionally, despite continued attacks by some politicians on the safety and effectiveness of certain vaccines, 9 in 10 respondents say it is important for parents to get their children vaccinated. 72% said it was very or extremely important, and 19% said it was somewhat important. important. Only 10% said it was not at all or very important for parents to vaccinate their children.

Influenza vaccine and new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)

The survey found that U.S. adults believe that the seasonal flu shot will reduce the risk of severe illness from the flu this season more than the COVID-19 booster shot will reduce the risk of severe illness from the coronavirus this season. (75%) believe that it is highly effective in reducing risks. (55%). There is a significant increase in understanding that influenza vaccination does not necessarily prevent people exposed to influenza from getting sick, but it does reduce the severity of infection (54%, up from 48% in October 2023). increase). Fewer people say they don't know how the flu shot will affect people who are later exposed to someone who has the flu (14%, down from 20%).

November data shows fewer people have received or are planning to receive a COVID-19 booster shot compared to a flu shot.

• Just over half (51%) of survey respondents said they had received a seasonal flu shot (40%) or were very likely to get the seasonal flu (11%), compared to Thirty-eight percent (29%) of people received a booster vaccination against viral infections. ) or very likely (9%).
• The most common reason given for getting a COVID-19 booster shot or flu shot was to prevent getting the disease (82% and 78%, respectively).
• More people (76%) reported getting a flu shot because they “get it every year” than those who reported getting vaccinated against the new coronavirus because they “get it every time a new booster comes out.” More people (51%) reported having received a booster vaccination.
• 68% know they can still get their COVID-19 booster and flu shot in a single visit to a health clinic or pharmacy, starting in October 2023, and this is definitely true (44%, up from 38% in October 2023).

knowledge of influenza

• Most people (80%) know that the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination varies from year to year.
• Most people (69%) believe this year's flu vaccine will be effective in reducing their risk of getting the flu (unchanged from October 2023), but not this fall (20%). More people thought about it than last fall (15%).
  • In fact, early reports suggest this seasonal flu vaccine may be less effective than last year's. Based on reports from five South American countries, the CDC announced the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccines in reducing the risk of hospitalization in high-risk groups. The infection rate appears to be 35%, lower than the 51.9% seen in those countries during last year's flu season, according to WebMD.
• 69% know it's worth getting a flu shot after November, but 19% aren't sure.
• Most people (80%) know they can spread the flu to others even if they don't have symptoms, up from 76% in January 2023. (According to the CDC, “some people may be infected with the influenza virus but have no symptoms.”) But they can still spread the virus to close contacts. ”)
• Most (71%) know that the flu shot is the best protection against seasonal influenza.
• However, only 42% believe everyone over 6 months of age should be vaccinated. influenza vaccinationunchanged from last year.

Belief in vaccine efficacy and safety

Vaccines that have been in use for many years, such as MMR, polio, and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccines, typically have the highest ratings from the general public for their effectiveness, safety, and recommendation for vaccination of others. I am receiving Newer vaccines, such as the COVID-19 vaccine, or vaccines for which public health recommendations have recently changed, such as the CDC's recommendation that adults 50 and older be vaccinated against pneumonia, may be less familiar to the general public. They are often poorly rated by people.

Vaccine recommendations

Here's what the public thinks about recommending vaccines to others:

• MMR vaccine: 90% would recommend MMR vaccine for children in their household aged 12 to 15 months or 4 to 6 years.
• Polio vaccine: 88% would recommend polio vaccine for children in their household between the ages of 2 and 6 months.
• Tdap vaccine: 85% would recommend the Tdap vaccine to children ages 11 to 12 in their household or adults in their household.
• Shingles vaccine: 82% would recommend the shingles vaccine to anyone in their household age 50 or older.
• HPV vaccine: 79% would recommend the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine for an 11- or 12-year-old child in their household.
• Pneumonia vaccine: 77% more likely to recommend a pneumonia vaccine to someone in their household who is 50 years of age or older, and 84% more likely to recommend a pneumonia vaccine to someone in their household who is 65 years or older as of April 2022 decreased. The CDC recommended a reduction in vaccinations. Ages eligible for vaccination as of October 23, 2024, several weeks before this survey was conducted.

Vaccine safety

Public opinion on vaccine safety:

• MMR: 86% say MMR vaccines are safe, up from 81% in October 2023 (as above)
• Influenza: 83% said: influenza vaccine safe and unchanged
• COVID-19: 65% say COVID-19 vaccines are safe, unchanged from October 2023 but lower than 73% in August 2022 .

Vaccine effectiveness. Public views on vaccine efficacy have remained stable, with the exception of RSV, which has risen as noted above. The following percentages considered these vaccines to be effective: Comparison with October 2023. If this question was asked at that time:

• MMR: 86% think vaccines are effective (no change)
• Polio: 85%
• Tdap: 80%
• Influenza: 75% (no change)
• Shingles: 74% (no change)
• Pneumonia: 71% (no change)
• HPV: 65% (no change)
• COVID-19: 65% (no change)
• RSV for adults 60 and older: 61%, up from 54% in October 2023
• RSV among pregnant people: 52%, up from 42% in October 2023

APPC’s Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge Survey

The survey data comes from the 22nd annual Nationally Representative Panel of 1,771 U.S. adults conducted by SSRS, an independent market research firm, for the Annenberg Center for Public Policy. Most have been enhanced since April 2021. To account for attrition, small replenishment samples are added over time using a random probability sampling design. The latest replenishment in September 2024 added 360 respondents to the sample.

This wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey was conducted from November 14 to 24, 2024. The sampling margin of error (MOE) is ± 3.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to 100%. Due to rounding, the subcategories may not total the topline and main text.