A majority of Americans reported not wanting to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if one gains FDA approval before the presidential election, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll.
The CDC told state officials Sept. 2 that they should be prepared to distribute a coronavirus vaccine by Nov. 1. Kaiser's poll, conducted from Aug. 28 to Sept. 3, examined Americans' attitudes toward the race to develop and distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.
Here are some of its notable findings:
- Fifty-four percent of American adults said they would not want to get vaccinated if a COVID-19 vaccine gained FDA approval before the election, which is slated for Nov. 3.
- Eighty-one percent of American adults do not believe a COVID-19 vaccine will become available in the U.S. before the presidential election, with 90 percent of Democrats, 84 percent of independents and 75 percent of Republicans reporting such doubt.
- Sixty-two percent of American adults reported feeling worried that White House political pressure will cause the FDA to rush its COVID-19 vaccine approval process without making sure it's entirely safe and effective, with 85 percent of Democrats, 61 percent of independents and 35 percent of Republicans expressing such worry.
- Thirty-nine percent of American adults believe the FDA is paying "too much attention" to politics when it comes to its coronavirus response. Forty-two percent of respondents reported feeling the same way about the CDC.