Roughly half of Americans are skeptical about promising new coronavirus vaccines and need more assurances from medical experts before rolling up their sleeves, according to a new survey.
The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research says about a quarter of U.S. adults said they have concerns about getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. Roughly another quarter say they are dead set against it.
The skeptics said they're worried about possible side effects, and some even fear the vaccine could give them the disease.
And it didn't help that drugmaker Pfizer had to issue a warning on the first day of vaccinations in the United Kingdom after the company's breakthrough vaccine triggered severe allergic reactions in a couple of early recipients.
As for other side effects, recipients may experience fever, fatigue or sore arms from the injection, normal signs that the immune system is doing its job.
The survey questioned 1,117 American adults between Dec. 3 and Dec. 7.
Health officials are worried the skepticism around the vaccines could hinder the fight against the scourge that's killed nearly 290,000 Americans.
Experts estimate at least 70% of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, the point at which enough people are protected that the virus can be held in check.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has called the vaccines "the light at the end of the tunnel."
And three former presidents, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, said they'd get vaccinated on camera to boost public confidence.
But experts said local family doctors may hold the key to getting patients on board.
