According to a report released by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Friday.
Since they are still undecided, KFF says that group is a smart target for vaccine education. To do that, the foundation notes that it is important to understand that the group is not a monolith, and concerns about vaccination vary.
About half of the people in the wait-and-see group are white, 16% are black and 19% are Hispanic. A majority say they are afraid that they or a family member will become ill from the corona virus.
More than half of the “wait-and-see” group view vaccination as a personal choice and only 40% see vaccination as a responsibility to protect others.
The wait-and-see group is also politically diverse; 42% identify as Democrats or Democratic leanings and 36% identify as Republicans or Republicans.
About 67% of “wait-and-see” Republicans see the decision to get vaccinated as a personal choice, compared to 43% of Democrats. 52% of “wait-and-see” Democrats believe everyone has a responsibility to protect the health of others, while only 29% of “wait-and-see” Republicans believe the same.
About half of Republicans who “want to and see” believe the severity of the pandemic is exaggerated
Black and Hispanic adults who plan to “wait and see” are deeply concerned about the prospect of getting personally ill or of a family member getting sick with the coronavirus. However, many are skeptical about the vaccine and healthcare in general.
About 61% of Hispanic adults and 59% of black adults in the “wait-and-see” group said they were concerned they could get the coronavirus from the vaccine. About 57% of “wait-and-see” black adults expressed distrust of the health care system, and KFF noted that the lower confidence is associated with a lower uptake of the vaccine.
Many who say they plan to “wait and see” said that a close friend or family member getting vaccinated is likely to influence their decision.