Poll: Do enough Utahn want vaccines for widespread immunity?

Currently, more than two-thirds of Utahns are planning to vaccinate COVID-19, according to polls from the new Deseret News / Hinckley Institute of Politics.

However, it is not clear whether it is sufficient to provide widespread immunity in the state.

67% of Utahns want a shot, 21% have no plans to get vaccinated and 12% are uncertain. A poll conducted January 12-15 of 1,000 Utah voters registered by Deseret News and Scott Rasmussen, an independent pollster for the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics, shows an error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. ..

Experts estimate that about 70% to 90% of the population can develop resistance to the deadly virus, either by infection or preferably by vaccination. What is known as herd immunity Most stop its spread and end the outbreak approaching the one-year mark.

However, there are many unknowns, such as how long immunity lasts and future implications. Virus mutation.. The vaccine may only be effective for 9 months to 1 year and is believed to be effective against current variants, but may not be applicable to new strains.

Doctors see the results of polls on vaccines as welcome news. Especially if Utahns continue to mark, stay socially distant, and take other public health precautions advised throughout the pandemic, even after two vaccinations. ..

Dr. Brandon Webb, Physician for Intermountain Healthcare Infectious Diseases, said, “As long as it can help undecided individuals understand the importance of being vaccinated, it is encouraging as long as it stays there by more than 67%. Will be. “

“I think these numbers are cautiously optimistic.”

Mr. Webb said that the acceptance rate of voluntary vaccines is Rollout continues Even more Utahn can be heard from someone who knows about shots that offer 95% protection against infection after two doses with few side effects.

He warned that he would waive public health precautions such as wearing a mask. Infected with COVID-19 even after the first vaccination, And even after two doses, it may be possible to spread it — meaning that over 90% of Utahns need to be vaccinated to control COVID-19.

“It’s absolutely important to understand that it’s a two-part process,” Webb said. “Infection control and vaccination are inseparable.”

He said the state wants to “reach optimal or near-optimal artificial immunity levels by the fall when schools return and the respiratory virus season begins again.” After the winter holiday season, future holidays may begin outdoors on Memorial Day in May.

Last September, A little over half of Utahns They said they would take a federal Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine when it became available. By mid-December, the first of the two vaccines approved so far had been injected into the arms of hospital employees.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, about 10% of more than 3.2 million people in Utah have been infected with the coronavirus. The Utah Department of Health does not have an overall figure on what percentage of eligible people choose to be vaccinated, but a survey at long-term care facilities found that 86% of residents and 56 of staff % Indicates that they chose vaccination.

In addition to them, other groups in Utah allowed to be vaccinated include front-line hospitals and other health care workers, first aid workers, first responders, school teachers and staff, and Now over 70 years old.. More groups are expected to be added in the coming weeks, including those with underlying disease.

Winston Jones, a resident of Hyrum, is a 70-year-old former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who has served twice in Vietnam and “of course” decides to attend a mass vaccination event at Cash County Fairgrounds. He said he prayed before. ..

What is his advice to Utahns who are not sure he wants to join him to get vaccinated?

“Analyze. Weigh the options. Consider alternatives. Pray for it,” Jones said, adding, “I’m doing it.”

He decided in front of the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Vaccinated with rolled up sleeves earlier this week, including President Russell M. Nelson“We have often prayed for this literal heavenly blessing,” he said on social media.

According to a news release, church leaders said, “Vaccination by competent medical professionals protects health and lives,” so “to calm the pandemic by protecting yourself and others through vaccination.” I urged the members to “help”.

Jones said the example set by the leaders of his faith is likely to influence others.

His own concern is how quickly the vaccine was developed and brought to market through Operation Warp Speed, former President Donald Trump. No one was confident about the long-term effects of the vaccine, Jones said, but “I’m sure I’ve done as much work as I can within the time allowed.”

Pollsters found that older Utine was a little interested in vaccination, but the division of the factions was so remarkable that 94% of Democrats would be vaccinated, compared to only 58% of Republicans. was.

Of those identified as liberal, 93% are ready for the vaccine, compared to 70% for moderates and 55% for conservatives.

Rasmussen said the national results, as Republicans are interested in the economic impact of the pandemic and tend to be confident in their recovery, while Democrats focus on health seriousness. He said they were similar.

“These are some Pretty deep attitude And when they settle this, it’s hard to upset them, “Rasmussen said, adding that there’s very little to change the mindset of Democratic President Joe Biden and the Republicans, especially now in the White House. It was.

He also said that just because Utahns was going to be vaccinated does not mean that he would.

Participation may be reduced if there is a problem with the vaccine. But the opposite can be true, he said. “If the problem goes a little back from the headline of partisan war and it’s really going well and people really feel good, then some would say they don’t do it now.”

Jason Perry, director of the Hinckley Political Institute in the United States, said he expects vaccine interest to continue to grow as vaccines become more widely distributed.

“What’s happening in Utah and across the country is part of the population concerned about vaccination, but more and more people are vaccinated every day in the country and Utah,” Perry said. I predicted. Reduce concerns.

“Rhetoric has undoubtedly influenced,” he said of the political debate over the pandemic during the Trump administration. Perry also said it was surprising that Operation Warp Speed, which helped produce vaccines at record speeds and was arguably an important achievement of the former president, no longer resonates with Republicans. It was.

The question about the vaccine was, “I’ve been excited for a long time from various places and found a house with some people in Utah,” he said, at least for now.

As the vaccine becomes available to more skeptics, they may see it differently, Perry said.

“Many people have said that you may not be willing to vaccinate. Well, anyway, they aren’t really in that line yet,” he said. “When you’re awake and know that many people are vaccinated, that’s another question. Does that change your analysis? I think so.”