With companies like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna having finished their vaccines, the end of the pandemic is near. Or is it? With information running rampant across the globe, who is to say that people would even trust a vaccine? Data from Pew Research Center has shown that from May to November, people who would not get the vaccine rose from 27% to 49%. Luckily, since the new year, trust for the vaccine rose, and now, only 39% of Americans say they are not sure or will not get a vaccine. Although it is still a big portion of the population: 129,090,000 to be exact, it gets smaller every month. The Courier wanted to hear the thoughts on a COVID vaccine at a more local scale.
To get this information, I posted a survey on my Instagram. My followers had 24 hours to complete the survey. The survey I posted reads “Will y’all get the COVID vaccine?” and has only yes or no for the available answers. This survey will reflect the thoughts and opinions of about 400 people, most of them are Seniors at James Logan High School. Some people who will see the survey are from schools around Alameda County, mostly in Newark Memorial High School and Ohlone College.
After the survey, 64% of participants said that they would get the vaccine and 36% said that they would not. 36% percent is lower than the national average, but not by much.
I was curious to see why people at James Logan High School would not get the vaccine, so I asked them why. Some people thought they would be worried about getting a vaccine that they feel has been rushed. That is a valid concern since most vaccines take years to develop. The rest of the participants, which aren’t the majority, spouted conspiracy theories about Bill Gates and about how the vaccines will “alter your DNA” and “stop your vibrations.”
With all the different conspiracy theories going around, it is important to get your information from official sources and unbiased sources. Our community needs to remain strong to get past this pandemic, and we all need to contribute — wear a mask!
