Vaccine sentiment among seniors 65+ from CVS Health

From the originally published in a whitepaper: Shifting Trends in Vaccine Hesitancy.

Notably, three-in-four (74%) seniors age 65+, one of the groups most at-risk for serious complications from COVID-19, said they plan on receiving the COVID vaccine, while only 7% said they do not plan to get vaccinated, compared to 20% of all adults. In addition, compared to how they felt at the beginning of 2021, 31% of adults age 65+ said they’re “more likely to get the vaccine” than they were before.

This isn’t the first time this generation has stepped up to the plate as public health leaders – many were also among the first to get vaccinated for whooping cough, polio and smallpox. And while vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. is certainly an issue, especially among minority populations, Americans are encouraged by seeing others get the vaccine safely, including healthcare workers and people they know, and many recognize that it’s an important step for life to return to normal.

This data derives from a survey conducted by CVS Health from January 8 to 11. The survey findings were published in a whitepaper: Shifting Trends in Vaccine Hesitancy.

• Three-in-four (74%) of adults age 65+ said they “plan on receiving the new COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available” to them, compared to only half (48%) of all adults.
• Only 7% of adults age 65+ said they “do not plan to receive the vaccine for COVID-19,” compared to 20% of all adults.
• Compared to how they felt at the beginning of 2021, 31% of adults age 65+ said they’re “more likely to get the vaccine” than they were before.
  • When asked to select up to three reasons:
    • 49% said “the vaccine is important for life to return to normal”
    • 41% said “my doctor advised me to get the vaccine”
    • 38% said “COVID-19 is worse than possible side effects”
    • 30% said “people I know have gotten the vaccine safely”
    • 26% said “I believe the vaccine doesn't have significant enough side effects to dissuade me"
    • 16% said “many healthcare workers have gotten the vaccine safely”
    • 15% said “many frontline workers and emergency responders have gotten the vaccine safely"
    • 15% said “my friends/family have advised me to get the vaccine”
    • 7% said “many politicians have gotten the vaccine safely”
    • 3% said “many people in nursing homes have gotten the vaccine safely”
    • 1% said “I need to get the vaccine to return to work”
• 94% of adults age 65+ feel “well informed” or “OK” about the information they’ve received about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, with only 6% saying they are “pretty confused by it all” – the lowest percentage of any other age group. For comparison, 86% of all adults said they feel well informed or OK, with 14% saying they feel confused.
• When asked where they get information they trust about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, adults age 65+ said:
  • The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – 51%
    • Compared to 35% of all adults
  • Healthcare providers – 46%
    • Compared to 34% of all adults
  • TV news channels (such as CNN or Fox News) – 32%
    • Compared to 27% of all adults
  • State government – 30%
    • Compared to 22% of all adults
  • Their health insurance provider – 28%
    • Compared to 18% of all adults
  • National government – 26%
    • Compared to 19% of all adults
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) – 24%
    • Compared to 21% of all adults
  • Local news publications – 21%
    • Compared to 19% of all adults
  • Local hospitals – 21%
    • Compared to 16% of all adults
  • Word of mouth from family/friends – 19%
    • Compared to 18% of all adults
  • National pharmacy chain (e.g., CVS or Walgreens) – 15%
    • Compared to 11% of all adults
  • National news publications (e.g., The New York Times or USA Today) – 14%
    • Compared to 16% of all adults
  • Local independent pharmacy – 9%
    • Compared to 6% of all adults
  • Social media sites (e.g., Facebook or Instagram) – 6%
    • Compared to 17% of all adults