New poll shows about 25% of American adults have had no COVID-19 vaccinations

A new poll published this week showed about a quarter of adults in the US have not received any sort of COVID-19 vaccination to date.

The Economist/YouGov poll was carried out between August 28 and 30. There were 1,500 US adults polled with a margin of error of 3 percent.

When asked the question, “Which statement describes you best?” Seventy-five percent of respondents answered that they identified best with the statement “I have received at least ONE shot of ANY manufacturer’s COVID-19 vaccine” while the other 25 percent of respondents said the best identified with the statement “I have not received ANY shots of ANY manufacturer’s COVID-19 vaccine.”

The poll also asked those who had not received any shots of the COVID vaccine whether they planned on getting vaccinated in the future. 66 percent said they did not plan on getting any shots at all, 14 percent said they might get a shot in the future, 9 percent said they definitely will get a shot in the future, and 11 percent said they preferred not to answer.

Of the respondents who reported having received all the shots required to be considered “fully vaccinated,” 56 percent said they wanted a booster that targets new variants when it becomes available.

The Biden administration announced last week that it will soon roll out a booster shot that targets the omicron sub variants BA.4 and BA.5. Twenty percent of fully vaccinated people said they would not get the newest booster shot, and 24 percent said they were unsure when asked in the YouGov poll.

“The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant,” said CDC Director Dr. Rachele Walensky.

She added, “They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants. This recommendation followed a comprehensive scientific evaluation and robust scientific discussion. If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your COVID-19 booster and I strongly encourage you to receive it.”