Coronavirus

KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor

The KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor dashboard provides an overview of the findings on several key topics highlighted below

Parents & Kids

Equity

(Mis)Information & Trust

Masking & Precautions

Pandemic Impacts

Mandates

Vaccines/Boosters

Parents and kids

  • One In Five Parents Of Children Under Age Five Say Their Child Has Gotten Vaccinated Or Will Get It ASAP, Almost Half Say They "Definitely" Won't Get It

    About one in seven (16%) parents of children ages 6 months through 4 years old now say their child has gotten vaccinated for COVID-19, steady since September, but up from July. Few remaining parents of children in this age range (5%) say they plan to vaccinate their children “right away,” while 14% say they want to “wait and see” and another 20% of parents of young children will get them vaccinated “only if required” for school or other activities. Less than half (45%) of parents of children ages 6 months through 4 years old say they will “definitely not” get their child vaccinated for COVID-19. The share who say they will “definitely not” get their young child vaccinated for COVID-19 has increased from surveys taken earlier this year, when the vaccines were not yet available.

  • Almost Half Of Parents Of Kids Ages 5-11 Say Their Child Has Been Vaccinated

    Reported vaccine uptake among children ages 5-11 has slowed slightly in recent months. Almost half of parents of kids ages 5-11 now report their child has gotten vaccinated (46%), continuing to tick up from earlier in the year. Just 2% of parents now say they will get their child vaccinated right away, and another 9% of parents of 5-11 year-olds still want to “wait and see.”

    The share who say they will get their 5-11 year-old vaccinated “only if required” (8%) or will “definitely not” get them vaccinated (35%) has held steady over the past few months.

  • Reported Vaccination Rates For Teenagers Remain Steady, A Third Of Parents Say Their Child Won't Get The COVID-19 Vaccine

    Parents’ intentions to vaccinate their older children have remained relatively steady since the start of the year. Almost six in ten parents of teenagers, ages 12-17, say their child has been vaccinated (62%), with very few parents who say they want to “wait and see” before deciding (2%). Around three in ten parents of 12-17 year-olds say they will definitely not get their child vaccinated (31%) while a further 5% say they will only do so if they are required.

  • Fewer Than Half Of Parents Of Children Between The Ages of 12-17 And 5-11 Say Their Child Has Gotten The Updated Booster Or Will Likely Do So

    About one in four parents of teenagers ages 12 to 17 say their child has already gotten the updated COVID-19 booster (16%) or that they will definitely be doing so (8%). A further 18% say their teen will probably get the update booster. Notably, about four in ten parents of teenagers say their 12-17 year old is not vaccinated for COVID-19 and therefore not eligible to get the updated bivalent booster.

    Among parents of younger children between the ages of 5 and 11, six in ten (61%) say their child is unvaccinated and therefore not eligible for the new COVID-19 booter. About one in five parents say their 5 to 11 year old has either gotten the updated booster (14%) or will definitely be doing so (7%), while a further 9% say their child will probably get the updated booster.

Perceived Lack Of Research, Potential Side Effects, And Safety Concerns Are Among The Top Reasons Why Parents Say They Won't Vaccinate Their Young Children

Parents who have not yet vaccinated their eligible children under 5 and do not plan to do so right away offer many different reasons why they are reluctant to get their child vaccinated. Concerns about the newness of the vaccine and not enough testing or research (19%) emerge as a top reason why parents do not plan to vaccinate their young children as soon as possible. Concerns over side effects (14%) and the overall safety of the vaccines (13%) are also prominent reasons given by parents as to why they do not plan on vaccinating their young child. Some parents (11%) say they do not think their child needs the vaccine or say they are not worried about COVID-19.

Majorities Of Parents Of Children Between 6 Months and 4 Years Concerned About Long-Term, Serious Side Effects Of COVID-19 Vaccine In Children

Parents’ worries about side effects and about the newness of the vaccines are evident when they explain in their own words why they will not get their young child vaccinated for COVID-19 right away. Parents’ concerns about the efficacy of the vaccine and the feeling that the vaccine is not needed are also apparent in some of the reasons they give for not vaccinating their young child. Notably, more than four in ten (44%) Black parents of unvaccinated children under 5 years old say they are concerned they might need to take time off work to get their child vaccinated or care for them if they experience side effects. Among Hispanic parents of young unvaccinated children, 45% say they are concerned about being able to get the vaccine for their child from a place they trust and about a third (36%) express concern that they might have to pay an out-of-pocket cost to get their child the vaccine.

Equity

Black And Hispanic Adults More Likely To Have Experienced Negative Impacts Of The Pandemic

Black and Hispanic adults report higher levels of financial impacts and worry about illness than their White counterparts when it comes to COVID-19 related issues, reflecting the increased burden the pandemic has placed on people of color over the past two years.

Black And Hispanic Parents Are Less Likely Than White Parents To Feel Their Child Is Very Safe From COVID-19 At School

Nearly half of parents with a child in school think their child is “very safe” (44%) from the risk of exposure to COVID-19 when they are at school and an additional 40% think their child is “somewhat safe”. However, parents who are Black or Hispanic are less likely than White parents to say they feel their child is “very safe” from COVID-19 when they are at school.

(mis)Information and trust

Trust In Government Sources For COVID-19 Vaccine Information Has Fallen, Particularly Among Republicans

The share who says they trust President Biden, the FDA, the CDC, and Dr. Fauci to provide reliable information on COVID-19 vaccines has declined since December 2020. Despite some criticism of how the FDA and CDC have handled vaccine rollout and messaging, trust among Democrats has remained high. However, among Republicans, the share who say they trust the FDA fell from a majority (62%) to about four in ten (43%).

Similarly, the share of Republicans who trust the CDC at least a fair amount fell from a majority in December (57%) to four in ten (41%). The share of Republicans who trust Dr. Fauci for vaccine information fell by roughly half between December 2020 and now, from 47% to 25%. In addition, trust in President Biden, already low among Republicans in December when he was President-elect, sank even further.

Seven In Ten Women Who Are Pregnant Or Planning To Believe Or Are Unsure About At Least One Piece Of Misinformation Surrounding Pregnancy And COVID-19 Vaccines

Among those for whom questions about the safety of the vaccines and pregnancy are particularly relevant – women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant – nearly four in ten (37%) are unsure if pregnant women should not get the vaccines and 44% are unsure if the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility. Altogether, among women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, 60% believe that pregnant women should not get the vaccine or are unsure if this is true, 58% believe or are unsure whether the vaccines have been shown to cause infertility, and 52% believe or are unsure whether it is unsafe for breastfeeding women to get vaccinated.

GREATER THAN COVID

Questions about pregnancy, fertility and the COVID-19 vaccines answered!

OB/GYNs, a nurse and midwife affirm the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy and debunk myths about the impact on fertility in 40+ new FAQ videos from THE CONVERSATION / LA CONVERSACIÓN. The new videos join the expansive living video library of more than 300 FAQ videos in English and Spanish featuring a diverse group of more than 30 healthcare workers of color produced by KFF under its Greater Than COVID public information response.

Masking and other precautions

More Than Two in Five Adults Say They Are More Likely To Take Precautions Due To News Of The "Tripledemic"

When asked about the impact of the “tripledemic” viruses spreading this winter on their behaviors, about half of adults (46%) say the news of COVID-19, RSV, and the flu spreading this winter made them more likely to take at least one protective measure, including wearing a mask in public, avoiding large gatherings, traveling less, or avoiding dining indoors at restaurants. Of all the measures asked about, wearing a mask in public is the most often reported protective measure taken, across ages, race/ ethnicity, and partisanship. Three in ten adults (31%) say the viruses spreading have made them more likely to wear a mask, followed closely by avoiding large gatherings (26%). About one in five adults say the “tripledemic” has made them less likely to travel (20%), or to eat indoors at restaurants (18%).

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of adults who say they are immunocompromised have modified at least one of their behaviors to be more cautious. And on each of the measures asked about, immunocompromised individuals are more likely to have taken a precautionary measure than those who are not immunocompromised, with the exception of indoor dining. Still, a substantial share (45%) of adults who are not immunocompromised have modified at least one of their behaviors as well.

Slim Majority Say They're Wearing A Mask Every Or Most Of The Time, Higher Shares Among Democrats, Lower Income, Black And Hispanic Adults

Most adults report continuing to wear a mask at least sometimes in public places. Around half of adults (51%) say that in the past 30 days they wore a mask every time or most of the time when indoors in public places, including 28% who say they wore one every time. Another 29% say they wore a mask some of the time, and 19% say they never wore a mask indoors in public places.

In line with attitudes about mask requirements on transportation, Democrats are more likely to say they always or mostly wore a mask indoors in the past 30 days (75%), compared to independents (46%) and Republicans (30%).

Two-thirds of unvaccinated adults say they have been wearing a mask some of the time or never have worn a mask indoors in the past 30 days (67%), while one-third (32%) report wearing one every or most of the time. A majority of vaccinated adults say they wore a mask every or most of the time (56%).

Showing differences by race and ethnicity, twice the share of Black adults compared to White adults report wearing a mask always or most of the time in the past 30 days (80% vs. 39%). Around two-thirds of Hispanic adults say the same (65%).

Six In Ten Adults Say People Should Continue Masking To Avoid COVID-19 Surges, With Splits By Partisanship, Income, Race

About six in ten adults (59%) say that now that COVID-19 case rates are lower, people should continue to wear masks in some public places to minimize the spread and avoid another surge in cases, while four in ten say that people should stop wearing masks in most public places so things can go back to normal. There are significant divides not only by partisanship, and vaccination status, but also by race, ethnicity, and income.

Eight-five percent of Democrats say that people should continue to wear masks, as do 57% of independents and 67% of vaccinated adults. Around seven in ten Republicans (69%) say that people should stop wearing masks so that things can return to normal, as do 67% of unvaccinated adults.

While White adults are split (49% say people should stop wearing masks, 49% say they should continue to wear them in some public places), large majorities of Black adults (88%) and Hispanic adults (69%) say that people should continue to wear masks in some public places to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Around two-thirds of those with a household income of less than $40,000 a year (68%) say the same, compared to 55% of those with an income between $40,000-$89,900 and 54% of those with an income of $90,000 or more. This finding that people of color are more likely to support continued mask wearing may reflect larger shares of Black and Hispanic adults being employed in service industries compared to White adults, putting them at an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19.

IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC

Half Say COVID-19 Pandemic Had A Negative Impact On Their Mental Health, Four In Ten On Physical Health, Financial Situation

The survey finds the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on adults and children over the last two years. Whether it comes to their education, work, finances, mental or physical health, many – regardless of race, ethnicity and income – report feeling the negative effects of the pandemic.

The most common negative effects of the pandemic, as reported by parents, are about their children’s education and mental health. Almost two-thirds of parents say that the pandemic has negatively affected their children’s education (63%), with 28% saying it had no effect, and 9% who report it had a positive effect. Moreover, over half (55%) of parents say the pandemic has had a negative impact on their children’s mental health, compared to 36% who say it made no difference, and 9% saying it had a positive effect.

Many Workers, Including Six In Ten Of Those Earning Less Than $40,000, Report Having To Miss Work During Past Three Months Due To COVID-19 Concerns

Four in ten workers (42%) say they had to miss work at least once in the past three months because of a COVID-19 related concern or sickness. This includes one in four workers (26%) who say they had to miss work to quarantine following a COVID-19 exposure, one in five who missed work because they tested positive for COVID-19, and one in eight (13%) who missed work because their place of employment was closed or reduced hours due to COVID-19 concerns. Additionally, three in ten parents (28%) say they had to miss work in the past three months because they had to stay home with a child who had to quarantine, or their child’s school went virtual due to COVID-19 concerns.

Two-Thirds Of Young Adults Report Negative Impacts From The COVID-19 Pandemic On Their Mental Health

Younger people also report disproportionate effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when it comes to their mental and physical health. Two-thirds of young adults aged 18-29 (67%) report that the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health, compared to just over half of 30-49 year-olds (54%), and under four in ten 50-64 year-olds (38%) and those over the age of 65 (37%).

Young adults are also more likely to report difficulties with their physical health due to the pandemic, with 53% of those under 30 reporting a negative impact, 47% of those 30-49, 37% of those 50-64, and 28% of those over the age of 65. In addition, larger shares of young adults report negative effects on their employment situation (36%) compared to older adults, including those ages 50-64 (23%) and those 65 and older (17%).
government and mandates

Compared To 2019, More Adults Now Say Parents Should Be Able To Decide Not To Vaccinate Their Children For Measles, Mumps, And Rubella

There has been a notable decrease since 2019 in the share of adults who say “healthy children should be required to be vaccinated (for MMR) in order to attend public schools because of the potential risk for others when children are not vaccinated,” with 71% saying they should be required to do so, an 11 percentage point decrease from a October 2019 Pew Research Center poll. Almost three in ten (28%) now say parents “should be able to decide not to vaccinate their children, even if that may create health risks for other children and adults,” an increase from 16% in 2019.

This decrease in support for MMR vaccine requirements for children in public schools is driven by Republicans and Republican-leaning independents – just a slight majority of Republicans (56%) say healthy children should be required to be vaccinated to attend public schools, a 23 percentage-point decline from 2019 when about eight in ten expressed support for such a requirement. More than four in ten Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (44%) now say that parents should be able to decide not to vaccinate their children, up from 20% in 2019.

Among parents of children under age 18, about two-thirds (65%) think healthy children should be required to be vaccinated to attend public schools, down from 76% who said the same in 2019.

Four In Ten Workers Say They Are Required To Get Vaccinated, One In Ten Would Like To Be Required, And Another Four In Ten Don't Want A Requirement

Four in ten workers say their employer is requiring on-site workers to be vaccinated for COVID-19, up from 29% in November 2021. This includes 9% of all workers who say their employer is requiring employees to have a COVID-19 booster in addition to their initial dose. Among workers whose employer does not require on-site workers to be vaccinated for COVID-19, most (78%, or 45% of all workers) say they do not want their employer to have a vaccination requirement, while 20% of those without a requirement (11% of all workers) say they want their employer to require vaccination.

Among partisans, about two-thirds of Democrats and over half of independents either say their employer requires vaccines or they want their employer to require vaccines, while about seven in ten Republicans (69%) say they are not currently subject to such a requirement and do not want their employer to put one in place.

Adults Split On Whether K-12 Schools Should Require COVID-19 Vaccines, With Significant Partisan Divides

The public is divided on whether K-12 schools should require their staff and eligible students to get a COVID-19 vaccine, with similar shares saying schools should (46%) and should not (51%) require vaccines. Three-fourths of Democrats (76%) say schools should require COVID-19 vaccinations while more than eight in ten Republicans (84%) say schools should not. Independents are more likely to say school should not require COVID-19 vaccines (56%) than to say they should be required (40%). Six in ten parents say schools should not require vaccines including majorities of parents of teens ages 12-17 (58%), children 5 to 11 years old (66%), and children under age 5 (59%).

VaccineS AND BOOSTERS

Democrats, Seniors, College Graduates, And Those With Higher Incomes Remain Most Likely To be Vaccinated And Have Received Their COVID-19 Booster Dose

The COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor finds that eight in ten adults say they have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, a share that continues to hold relatively steady since September 2021. This includes over half of adults who say are fully vaccinated and also received a COVID-19 booster dose (55%), a quarter who have been fully vaccinated but have not gotten their booster (22%), and a small share who are partially vaccinated (2%).

When it comes to demographic uptake for the COVID-19 vaccine, Democrats (95%), adults ages 65 and older (90%), college graduates (90%), and those with a household income of $90,000 or more (86%) continue to report the highest rates of vaccination. Those under the age of 65 without health insurance (57%), adults living in rural areas (64%), and Republicans (71%) continue to report lower COVID-19 vaccine uptake than their counterparts.

Booster uptake similarly has remained relatively steady, with those groups with higher initial vaccine uptake also more likely to have received their booster dose. Overall, over half of adults report being fully vaccinated and have received their booster dose for COVID-19, with the largest shares among Democrats (79%), adults ages 65 and over (74%), and college graduates (67%).

  • Bivalent Booster Uptake Up Slightly Since December

    Although about half of adults (46%) say they are taking at least some protective measures given the news of COVID-19, RSV, and the flu spreading in the U.S. this winter, a smaller share of adults are doing the thing public officials are emphasizing the most: getting the updated bivalent booster. About four in ten adults say they have either received the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster dose (28%) or that they plan to get it “as soon as possible” (14%). In a slight uptick from last month’s Covid Vaccine Monitor, nearly three in ten (28%) adults now say they have already gotten the updated booster, up from 22% in December. Still, about one in ten adults say they want to “wait and see” before getting the updated shot (12%), and the same share (12%) says they will get it “only if required.” A further 11% say they will “definitely not” get the updated booster and about one in five (22%) adults are not eligible for the updated dose since they are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated.

  • Bivalent Booster Uptake Highest Among Seniors, Democrats, and Immunocompromised Adults

    Nearly half (47%) of adults ages 65 and older say they have already gotten the updated bivalent booster, and a further one in ten (12%) say they plan to get it “as soon as possible.” Though relatively few (3%) say they will only get the updated vaccine if required, a further one in five adults 65 and older say either say they will “definitely not” get the updated booster (12%) or remain ineligible to receive it (11%), leaving a sizeable share of this vulnerable group without the protection of the vaccine.

  • Across Age Groups, Most Adults Cite Not Thinking They Need The New Booster As Primary Reason They Have Not Received It

    Adults who are vaccinated but have not yet received the updated bivalent booster cite a range of reasons for why they have not yet done so. About half (51%) say they feel they have enough protection from their initial COVID-19 vaccine or a prior infection of the virus, and about four in ten (44%) say they don’t think they need the new booster. Reflecting that there is still some interest in getting an updated dose, about three in ten (29%) say they are "too busy” or “have not had time to get it.” Other less frequently cited reasons include the nearly one in five (19%) of adults who say they had bad side effects from a previous COVID-19 dose, or they cannot afford to take time off work to get the booster or deal with the side effects of the vaccine (15%). Similar shares say they have not gotten an updated bivalent booster because they think “COVID is over” (15%), while about one in ten (12%) say they are not sure how or where to get the booster.

  • Large Shares Across Partisans Question The Value Of The Updated COVID-19 Booster

    The top reasons given by those eligible for the new booster who have not yet gotten it are similar across partisans, but the share who say each reason varies. Majorities of Republicans or Republican-leaning independents say they have not gotten the booster because they feel they have enough protection from a previous dose or infection (62%), or they don’t think they need it (56%). These are also the top reasons given by Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, but four in ten of this group (43%) say they feel they have enough protection and about one in three (34%) say they don’t think they need the new booster. Other reasons are more frequently mentioned by Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents than Republicans, including being too busy or not having time (37% vs. 17%), that they can’t afford to take time off work to get the booster or deal with side effects (19% vs. 10%), or they are not sure how or where to get the booster (15% vs. 6%). Notably, one-fourth (27%) of Republicans say they have not gotten a booster because they think “COVID is over.”

  • More Than Half Of Adults Who Have Gotten The Bivalent Booster Are Waiting For The CDC To Update Guidelines So They Can Get Another Shot

    The January COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor survey finds many who have already received the new booster are now eagerly awaiting guidance from the CDC about when they can be eligible for another shot. More than half (54%) of adults who have received the bivalent booster say they are waiting on the CDC to issue new guidelines so they can be eligible for another booster. Overall, 15% of U.S. adults say they are waiting on the CDC to issue new guidelines.

  • More Than Four In Five Adults Who Have Received The Bivalent Booster Say Getting Another Booster Is Important

    When asked about getting another booster shot in the future, the vast majority of adults (86%) who have already gotten the bivalent booster say it’s important, including more than one-third (37%) who say it is a “top priority” and half (49%) who say it is “important but not a top priority.” A further one in ten (10%) say it is “not too important,” while 3% say it is something they don’t plan to do.

Americans’ Attitudes and Experiences with COVID-19 Vaccines: What We’ve Learned from the Vaccine Monitor

The KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor Project has tracked the public’s evolving views about and experiences with the vaccines amid the ongoing pandemic. Our experts shared insights gleaned from nearly 40 Vaccine Monitor reports in a web briefing.

 

KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor is an ongoing research project tracking the public’s attitudes and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations. Using a combination of surveys and qualitative research, the Monitor tracks the dynamic nature of public opinion as vaccine development and distribution unfold, including vaccine confidence and acceptance, information needs, trusted messengers and messages, as well as the public’s experiences with vaccination. A list of all Vaccine Monitor reports is available here.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Headquarters: 185 Berry St., Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA 94107 | Phone 650-854-9400
Washington Offices and Barbara Jordan Conference Center: 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 | Phone 202-347-5270

www.kff.org | Email Alerts: kff.org/email | facebook.com/KaiserFamilyFoundation | twitter.com/kff

Filling the need for trusted information on national health issues, the Kaiser Family Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.