Vaccine hesitancy dwindles as support among minority groups dramatically increases

There is growing public support for vaccines as the UK’s jab rollout continues apace, reports Vincent Wood

A medical worker prepares an injection with a dose of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination centre in Baitul Futuh Mosque in London (REUTERS)

The percentage of vaccine-hesitant adults has more than halved in the last four months, a survey has found, as the rapid rollout of jabs in the UK is met by growing support.

The survey of 8,000 adults in the UK conducted by Ipsos Mori found the number of adults who said they would not be likely to take a vaccine had fallen from 14 per cent to 6 per cent.

And while 60 per cent of respondents said they had received at least one jab, a further 34 per cent said they would now either definitely or probably do so.

The pollsters, who have been tracking vaccine hesitancy since the rollout in the UK began, found the most common reasons for the positive change of mind was an expectation that the jabs would be necessary for travel and leisure activities, the knowledge of safe uptake among friends and family, a greater understanding of the evidence and encouragement from those around them.

Around 27 per cent of respondents who have not yet received a jab said they would need more information before coming to a decision, with the possibility of long-term side effects among the most commonly cited concerns.

Read more:

• Coronavirus news live: Latest AstraZeneca vaccine updates 
• ‘Link’ between AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots, EMA official says
• Are younger people at risk of blood clots linked to AstraZeneca vaccine?
• UK regulator ‘may restrict use of Oxford Covid vaccine in younger people’ amid blood clot fears

Other common requests for more information were in regard to the impact on transmission rates and the value of the jab to society when it came to those least at risk of illness.

While stark divides remain among different UK communities, the most dramatic increase in support for vaccines has been among ethnic minitories

While the proportion to have already received a jab is markedly lower than white Britons, those from minority groups who have either had a jab or were likely to jumped from 77 to 92 per cent in March.

Young adults who had received or were likely to receive an immunisation also cost from 83 to 86 per cent, while those from deprived areas saw an increase in positive regard for the jab from 81 to 89 per cent.

The total proportion who agree the vaccine will be distributed fairly increased from 77 per cent to 87 per cent, while the proportion who were unsure the jab would be effective fell from 62 per cent to 46 per cent.

Kelly Beaver, managing firector of Ipsos MORI said: “It is extraordinarily encouraging to see the steady progress being made with vaccine confidence across the UK.

“The increase in vaccine confidence among ethnic minority Brits is a particularly welcome sign given the disproportionate impact that COVID has had on ethnic minority communities.”