Great news: The number of Americans who say they would take a coronavirus vaccine if it were offered to them is continuing to steadily climb.
As of the latest Pew Research Center survey, 69 percent of Americans say they would "definitely" or at least "probably" get vaccinated. To be fair, that includes the 19 percent of the more than 10,000 survey respondents who'd already received at least one injection of a COVID-19 vaccine, but the number of unvaccinated people who want one is also on the rise.
The data represents increasing optimism about both the vaccination effort and the notion that President Biden's coronavirus policies will improve the country's pandemic response. The number of people who said they'd get a vaccine actually peaked in Pew Research Center's survey from last May, but that number suddenly dropped for the following survey in September and has been climbing back ever since. The new survey shows the greatest vaccine enthusiasm since then.
Even without the 19 percent who are already at least partially vaccinated, the number of people who "definitely" want one is the highest it's been in nine months.
The survey did reveal a number of other troubling trends. There's still a deep political rift over stances on whether the coronavirus poses a serious threat and what measures ought to be taken to combat it, but a growing number of people across the political spectrum feel that it's unnecessary to prohibit indoor dining at restaurants, and that K-12 schools ought to be reopened.
Whether that's due to a shared perspective that things are improving or even just exhaustion after a year of lockdowns, experts have urged everyone to stay vigilant. That means wearing masks, avoiding crowds, and following all the same public health guidelines. At least, factoring in how many people now want to be inoculated, there could be an end to the whole ordeal in sight.
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READ MORE: Growing Share of Americans Say They Plan To Get a COVID-19 Vaccine – or Already Have [Pew Research Center]
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