About one-quarter of Americans say they have little to no interest in taking a vaccine for coronavirus. One big reason: concerns that the emphasis on speed could result in a less-safe vaccine. That's the results of new polling by Reuters and Ipsos
Fourteen percent said they were not at all interested in taking the vaccine, according to Reuters. Ten percent said they were not very interested. Nearly half of those who showed little or no interest in the vaccine said they were worried about how fast it is being developed. More than 40% said they believe the vaccine may put them at higher risk than COVID-19 would.
There are multiple vaccine trials currently underway. President Donald Trump said this week a vaccine would be ready by the end of the year although experts have indicated the earliest it might happen is sometime in 2021.
Reuters reports 14% of respondents would be more interested in taking the vaccine if Trump says it is safe. Thirty-six percent said they would be less interested of Trump signs off on its safety.
Across political lines, twice as many Democrats said they had no interest in the vaccine as Republicans, Reuters said.
Most of the respondents said they would be heavily influenced by guidance from the Food and Drug Administration, or by the results of large-scale studies showing the vaccine was safe, Reuters said.
The poll of 4,428 U.S. adults was taken between May 13 and 16.
A separate Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released Wednesday found that nearly half of Americans say that a vaccine needs to be available before public life resumes. A third say a vaccine is important but not essential.