DENVER – As Colorado continues to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine and with nearly 6,000 people killed in the state as a result of the virus, a recently released poll found that only about 1 in 3 Colorado Republicans intend Get vaccinated when doses become available to them.
The survey, conducted by Louisville-based Magellan Strategies, included an online survey of 769 registered Colorado voters, conducted Feb. 9-17, with a margin of error of ± 3.53%.
But the question of whether someone would receive the vaccine when it becomes available was asked to 420 of the respondents who had not yet been vaccinated, and the results have a margin of error of ± 4.78%.
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The survey was weighted by the demographics of Colorado registered voters, the company said.
In total, 55% of people asked if they intended to be vaccinated, said they would, 34% said they would not and 9% of respondents said they were unsure.
But the partiality was remarkable: Eighty-eight percent of Democrats said they intended to get vaccinated, compared to 57% of unaffiliated voters and just 29% of Republicans polled.
Rural voters (23% yes) and Trump voters (24% yes) said they were much less likely to be vaccinated compared to suburban women (61% yes) and four-year-old college voters (68% yes).
The poll also asked people – identified only by their location, gender, generation, and voter registration – why they shouldn’t be vaccinated or were hesitant to do so.
Those answers showed the perception of some people, not just in Colorado, but across the state, who have been trying to combat local and state officials as disinformation is spread about alleged dangers from the vaccines and the virus – all of which are currently being approved and Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“Real scientists and doctors are concerned that the vaccines have not been properly tested for safety and effectiveness. Too many side effects and deaths have been reported, ”said a silent-generation woman, a rural Republican.
“Untested. Alters DNA. NOT NECESSARY. The current COVID recovery rate is 98% vaccine-free,” said a male baby boomer who is an urban republican.
However, the concerns and hesitation were not limited to the Republicans.
“I’ve made an appointment to administer the vaccine, but I’m not sure it’s safe for me,” said a Democratic female baby boomer living in a small town.
“I’m healthy, it’s probably better to give it to people who need it,” said an unaffiliated suburban Millennial male.
But the party line splits into whether a person would be vaccinated, extended to other questions about the coronavirus and vaccines.
Of the full group surveyed, 60% of respondents said they were either very or somewhat concerned that someone in their family might be infected with the coronavirus, compared with 39% who said they were ‘not too concerned’ or ‘ not concerned at all. ”But 89% of Democrats said they were concerned, compared to 32% of Republicans.
The majority of those surveyed agreed with the response of the local, state and national authorities to the coronavirus. Fifty-three percent of respondents approved of the Biden administration’s response, compared with 39% who said they approved of the Trump administration’s efforts.
The top priorities for those surveyed were job creation and improvement of the economy, vaccine rollout and response to the coronavirus, but the top priorities differed by generation and by political affiliation – with Democrats saying vaccine rollout and tackling the coronavirus were the main issues, compared to most Republicans who say jobs and the economy and reopening businesses were top priorities.
One point that those surveyed generally agreed was that the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health.
Sixty-six percent of the respondents agreed that the virus had had a negative effect on their mental health. 23% said it had a “very negative impact”, compared to 34% who said it didn’t.
The survey was not funded by outside individuals or organizations, Magellan said. The poll of Colorado voters’ opinions was the first of two parts, the second of which will be released in the coming weeks.