Just over half of Tennesseans polled about COVID-19 vaccines were ”willing but hesitant” to get the shot, according to new market research from state officials.
The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) hired a third-party research firm for a survey of more than 1,000 adult Tennesseans “exploring sentiments around the COVID-19 vaccine.” All 95 Tennessee counties were included in the survey, though 82 percent of the respondents were white, 15 percent were African American, and 3 percent were Latinx.
Here are the key findings from the report:
• 53.7 percent of all respondents are willing but hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine
• The main reasons associated with vaccine hesitancy are safety and unknown long-term or short-term effects.
• Physicians and medical staff were considered the most trusted voice for Tennesseans seeking information for vaccines.
“The results are consistent with national trends and show that Tennesseans want more information from trusted sources as they make their decision,” said TDH Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey. “This market survey was an important step in identifying where we can be helpful in providing information about safety and effectiveness.”
