Every third person would accept the COVID-19 vaccine if the vaccines were available – said the results of research on the social acceptance of preventive vaccinations during the coronavirus epidemic, which were conducted by scientists from the University of Warsaw (UW) and the Medical University of Warsaw (WUM) in cooperation with ARC Rynek i Opinia.

The project’s goal was to analyze the impact of social media, authorities and evidence-based medicine on social attitudes towards vaccination, based on the example of SARS-CoV-2.

If public vaccines against COVID-19 appeared, only 37% of respondents would support vaccinations (despite acceptance for routine preventive vaccinations at rate 78% in 2018 in Poland). One-third of respondents would not use this option.

Opponents of vaccination indicate the lack of trust in the vaccine that would be introduced so quickly (43% of respondents) as the main reason. 39% of respondents said that vaccines are effective but not always safe. Respondents from 18 to 24 years of age are most positive about vaccinations.