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COVID-19 UPDATE

Vaccine Hesitancy

By Diane Simpson, MD

People who remain hesitant to Figure 1: Kaiser Family Foundation COVID-19 Vaccination Attitudes
receive a COVID-19 vaccine are
receiving a great deal of attention
in print and broadcast media. They
are in effect the ‘swing votes’ on
whether or when the United States
can achieve herd immunity
through vaccination and prevent
the introduction and spread of
new variants.
Not all eligible persons who re-
main unvaccinated in July 2021 are
“vaccine hesitant.” Some are “vac-
cine opposed” and refuse or resist
most or all immunizations and laws
that mandate vaccines. Others are
“vaccine challenged.” These are vac-
cine eligible persons who will take
the vaccine when they can, but cur-
rently face barriers in time, trans-
portation or other logistical factors.
The “vaccine hesitant” are those
Figure 2: Vaccine Attitude by Class
with unanswered concerns and
questions that keep them from re-
ceiving the vaccine. Understanding
the who and why of vaccine hesi-
tancy can help inform the public
health and medical provider on
what to do.

THE WHO
National Information
Through a series of surveys and
focus groups, the Kaiser Family
Foundation monitors COVID-19
vaccination attitudes and experi-
ences in the United States. Their
latest results obtained in late May
provide a national snapshot of the
percent who are either receptive,
hesitant, resistant or adamantly
By The New York Times, David Leonhardt | Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

22 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • July 2021