Survey: One-Third of Adults Say They Don’t Need Fall Vaccines

Consumers are hesitant about getting vaccines this fall, according to a survey conducted by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The national poll of 1,006 people found more than one-third (37%) have gotten vaccines in the past but do not plan to this year. The same percentage (37%) of respondents said they don’t need any of the vaccines surveyed in the poll, including flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The survey also found that a slight majority (56%) of adults have gotten or plan to get the flu shot this fall, but less than half (43%) have gotten or plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Those older than 65 years of age were the most likely to get recommended vaccines.

Nora Colburn, M.D.

The survey did not ask respondents about why they were hesitant about getting vaccines this fall. “But in my practice, I have seen many possible reasons for vaccines hesitancy: patients feel they are at low risk for infection or complications of flu/COVID, they are fearful of needles, they are worried about potential side effects,” Nora Colburn, M.D., medical director of clinical epidemiology at Ohio State’s Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, told Formulary Watch.

Vaccinations play a critical role in helping keep individuals and communities healthy, and if fewer patients get vaccinated, we could see an increase in cases of respiratory infections, including influenza and COVID-19.

“Late fall and winter is our ‘respiratory viral season’ when we tend to see a lot of respiratory viruses circulate in the community, including influenza, RSV and COVID-19,” Colburn said. “It is important that we all get our vaccines before the season starts to maximize protection to ourselves and those around us.”

Misinformation about vaccines has also played a role people’s hesitancy, she said. “Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation on the Internet about vaccines and it can be hard for people to tell what is a reputable source and what is misinformation.”

Vaccine hesitancy, which ranges from misgiving to outright resistance, took hold during the COVID-19 pandemic because of misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines, and it has shown staying power.

Studies have shown that misinformation about vaccines continues to rise despite efforts to address it. Social media contributes to misinformation about childhood vaccines, COVID-19, flu and HPV. Several studies and surveys over the last year have looked at the impact on childhood vaccines.

In a survey last year by researchers from University of Michigan School of Public Health found that some parents (12%) believe that childhood vaccines are less important compared with before the pandemic and that some (13%) believe that childhood vaccines are less effective now. They also found that negative beliefs about childhood vaccines were clustered in places with low COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Colburn said patients are more likely to accept a vaccine if a trusted healthcare provider specifically recommends it. “I talk about vaccines at every visit with my patients,” she said. “If they are hesitant, I ask open-ended, nonjudgmental questions to try and understand their perspective and identify any questions they may have. When patients see that I am genuinely concerned about their health and feel our relationship is built on trust and respect, they are more likely to accept my recommendations for vaccination.”

Physicians and health plans, Colburn said, can address misinformation by providing high quality patient education materials from reputable sources in easy-to-understand language. “Also, building a long-standing relationship based on trust and respect will encourage patients to come to their healthcare providers for information, rather than websites promoting misinformation.”

The Ohio State University survey was conducted by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform, a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. The data were conducted from Aug. 16, 2024, to Aug. 18, 2024.