COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the U.S.: Trends and Implications

Key Findings

• 60% of Americans say they probably won’t get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
• 24% plan to get vaccinated, while 15% have already received it.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and older to prevent severe illness, and COVID vaccines have proven safe and effective, not only preventing or reducing the impact of primary COVID infection, but decreasing risk of Long COVID, MIS-C, and other complications.
• Partisan affiliation and age are major predictors of vaccine uptake, with stark differences between Democrats and Republicans.

Partisan and Demographic Divides

Partisan Influences

Partisan affiliation continues to dominate vaccine intent:

• 62% of Democrats and Democratic leaners either plan to get or have already received the vaccine.
• 81% of Republicans and Republican leaners say they probably won’t get vaccinated.
• Among those aged 65 and older, 84% of Democrats are willing to get vaccinated, compared to just 30% of Republicans in the same age group.

Age Trends

Older adults show more willingness to vaccinate than their younger counterparts:

• 54% of adults aged 65+ have either received or plan to receive the vaccine.
• A majority of adults under 65 indicate they will not get vaccinated.

Race and Ethnicity Trends

Vaccine hesitancy also varies by race and ethnicity:

• 62% of White adults and 58% of Hispanic adults say they probably won’t get vaccinated.
• Black (49%) and Asian (50%) adults are evenly split between those planning to vaccinate and those who do not.
• White adults show significant partisan gaps, with 69% of White Democrats willing to vaccinate compared to 16% of White Republicans.

Reasons for Vaccine Hesitancy

Americans who do not plan to vaccinate cited the following reasons:

• 61% feel the vaccine is unnecessary.
• 60% are concerned about side effects.
• 5% cite cost concerns, though most vaccines are available for free or covered by insurance. As an aside, and not mentioned by the study, it should be noted that in the United States, most State and Local health departments do have a stock of some free COVID vaccines, though supply may vary for a variety of reasons. To check contact information for your health department, take a look at this resource from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).

Methodology and Data Integrity

This analysis is based on data from Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (Wave 158), conducted from October 21-27, 2024, among 9,593 respondents. Key methodological details include:

• The survey was conducted via online (n=9,320) and live telephone (n=273) interviews in English and Spanish.
• Margin of error for the full sample is ±1.3 percentage points.
• Participants were selected through address-based sampling, ensuring representation across U.S. adults.
• Weighting was applied to adjust for sampling and nonresponse bias, aligning with U.S. population benchmarks.

For full methodology details, including response rates and weighting dimensions, refer to the survey’s methodology report.

Public Health Implications

The findings highlight persistent challenges in achieving widespread vaccine uptake:

• Targeted Messaging: Tailored communication strategies addressing specific concerns (e.g., safety, necessity) are crucial.  This point in particular may be difficult, as there have been at best, ill-informed, and at worst, malicious actions taken by politically active groups in Idaho, Florida and Texas, among others. These actions tend to reinforce previously held biases, typically politically in nature, and are a direct slap in the face to everyone who worked during the primary COVID-19 Pandemic Response.
• Community Engagement: Partnerships with trusted local leaders and healthcare providers can bridge gaps in trust and understanding.
• Data Transparency: Clear information about vaccine safety and efficacy can combat misinformation.