Americans support health care workers and care residents getting vaccinated first

Americans support health care workers and care residents getting vaccinated first

Linley Sanders - December 4th, 2020

On Tuesday, vaccine advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that health care workers and residents of nursing homes be the priority to receive COVID-19 vaccines.

A YouGov poll conducted December 2 – 3 found that eight in ten Americans (82%) strongly support or somewhat support the guidance. The strongest support for vaccinating front-line workers and residents of long-term care facilities comes from Americans with a household income of $80,000 or more (73% strongly support), Democrats (72% strongly support), and Americans who are older than 55 (71% strongly support).

Seven in 10 adults (69%) who are 18-to 24-years-old support the guidance overall — though, they are less likely to strongly support it (44%) compared to older Americans who will likely get vaccinated before them. An overwhelming majority of 25-to 34-year-olds (78%), 35-to 44-year-olds (78%), 45-to 54-year-olds (81%), and those 55 and older (88%) strongly or somewhat support vaccinating health care workers and nursing home residents first.

Despite partisan divides on personal vaccination, a majority of Democrats and Republicans are in favor of the distribution advice. Nearly nine in 10 Democrats (89%) strongly or somewhat support it, compared to 81% of Independents and 78% of Republicans.

See the topline results from this YouGov Poll

Related: Half the public are willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the highest level yet

Methodology: Total sample size was 6,516 US Adults aged 18+ weighted to provide a representative sample of the United States. Participants were asked, “Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to recommend that both health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities be first in line for any coronavirus vaccines that become available. Do you support or oppose this decision?" Response options were: "Strongly support,” “Somewhat support,” “Somewhat oppose,” “Strongly oppose,” and “Don’t know.” The survey was conducted December 2 – 3, 2020.

Image: Getty