New national survey shows hesitancy about vaccines this fall

Sept. 12, 2024
37% of poll respondents say they feel they don’t need to be vaccinated.

With flu season just around the corner and COVID-19 cases on the rise, a new nationwide survey from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center reveals hesitancy around vaccines this fall.

The new data comes just as this year’s flu shot rolls out and following the FDA’s approval of an updated round of COVID-19 vaccines.

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 percent 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).

Other survey results found: 

  • A slight majority (56%) of adults have gotten or plan to get the flu shot this fall.
  • Less than half (43%) have gotten or plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Adults age 65 and older are the most likely to get recommended vaccines.

This survey was conducted on behalf of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from August 16 – August 18, 2024, among a sample of 1,006 respondents. The survey was conducted via web (n=975) and telephone (n=31) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center release