Gallup: More in U.S. willing to take COVID-19 vaccine than 2 months ago

Nov. 17 (UPI) -- More Americans now say they're willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine after barely half said two months ago that they would be, according to a Gallup survey Tuesday.

Asked if they would take a coronavirus vaccine that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, 58% said they would, the poll found. The other 42% said they would not.

When Gallup asked the same question in September, just 50% said they would take a COVID-19 vaccine that was approved by the FDA.

Gallup found in the new survey that Democrats (69%) and Americans over the age of 65 (63%) were most likely to say they would take a vaccine. It showed that share among both Republicans and independents was 49%.

The survey was taken between Oct. 19 and Nov. 1, before both Pfizer and Moderna reported that final-stage clinical data showed their respective vaccines are better than 90% effective.

"A vaccine for the disease is seen as key to returning Americans' lives to normal," Gallup wrote.

"The 42% of U.S. adults saying they would not get a vaccine is down from 50% in September, but still indicative of significant challenges ahead for public health and government officials."

The most recent poll also showed that men (61%) are more willing to take the vaccine than women (54%), while those aged 18-44 (62%) are more willing than those 45-64 (49%).

Non-Whites appear to be most skeptical about a vaccine. Sixty-one percent of Whites said they would be inoculated, but just 48% of non-Whites said the same.

Gallup polled almost 3,000 U.S. adults for the survey, which has a margin of error of 3 points.