According to the survey, more than half of the respondents are unlikely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine under an emergency use authorization.

The first COVID-19 vaccine has an emergency use authorization. Still, an important question remains: Will American adults be willing to get it?

A new study, led by a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, is one of the first to investigate the psychological and social predictors of the willingness of adults to obtain COVID-19 in the United States. vaccine And whether these predictors differ under the Emergency Use Authorization release of the vaccine.

The study “willingness to obtain COVID-19 vaccine with or without emergency use authorization” American Journal of Infection Control.. In a survey of 788 adults in the United States, 59.9% of respondents were confident or probably planning to receive a future coronavirus vaccine, 18.8% were neutral, and 21.3% were probably or surely vaccinated. I found that I didn’t plan.

When asked if they would be vaccinated under an emergency use authorization, 46.9% of respondents said they were undoubtedly likely or willing to do so. On the other hand, 53.1% arguably said they were likely or somewhat unwilling to do so.

Dr. Janine Guidley, an assistant professor and lead author at Richard T. Robertson Media School, said: Director of Culture and Culture, VCU Media + Health Labs at Humanities and Sciences University.

The study found that concerns about side effects were a significant barrier, Guidry said.

“”[Such concerns are] It’s not uncommon, but we also know that the two vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, may have possible side effects … [and that] People may hesitate to get vaccinated. “

The study also found annoying disparities between demographic groups. For example, younger respondents were more likely than older respondents to express their willingness to vaccinate. We also found that white respondents were more likely to get the vaccine than black respondents, with an emergency use authorization or approval from the regular Food and Drug Administration.

“This is what researchers have discovered in other previous vaccine studies, but because black Americans are known to be infected with COVID-19 much more often than white Americans, COVID I’m more worried about -19. I’ll die from the virus. “

“Unfortunately, there is a history of medical abuse of African Americans and individuals in the low-income community of the United States,” said co-author Dr. Bernard Huemmeler, a professor of health behavior policy at the VCU School. Of medicine.

“With this background, we want to advance the provision of vaccines to the most deprived, so we understand that distrust among certain communities is a problem to be addressed,” Huemmeler said. Stated. “It begins with recognizing this history and providing people with the information they want to relieve legitimate alertness about vaccines.”

Researchers have important predictors of their willingness to acquire Coronavirus The vaccine included education level and health insurance, as well as high susceptibility to COVID-19. Predictors of willingness to obtain a vaccine under an emergency use authorization included age and race / ethnicity.

The results of this study may help shape health communication and messages as vaccine distribution begins nationwide. The message suggests that concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine and its development need to be addressed and its benefits enhanced. It also suggests that these efforts may need to focus on re-establishment beyond just communication campaigns to correct false information about vaccines. Public trust In government agencies and medicine.

“Vaccines are only effective when people are vaccinated, so it is very important that people trust and be willing to get the vaccine,” Guidley said. “Community-level immunity is reached only when about 70% of the population is vaccinated. Therefore, these concerns may be better communicated and addressed when vaccinated. It is very important to know some of the barriers. “”

Guidley added that the study reflects significant concerns and misunderstandings that must be addressed in the coming months.

“”[It is] Remind us that there are some real fears among the public about vaccine development being too early, “she said. “In fact, this particular vaccine was developed fairly quickly, but the science that makes it possible is advancing. Over the last decade. Vaccines are available under the vaccine development process and emergency use authorization. I think we need to help people better understand the exact meaning of the vaccine. ”