A new survey from Pew Research Center cites Catholics as the most vaccinated religious group in the United States. Conducted between August 23-29, the questionnaire surveyed 10,345 American adults.
The survey found that 82% of Catholics reported receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The figure is higher than any other group, including the religiously unaffiliated (75%) and Evangelical Protestant communities (73%). According to Pew, 73% of all American adults say they have received at least one round of the vaccination.
Pew found that the majority of Americans (69%) say that businesses have been hurt by the restrictions. Additionally, 58% responded that their daily life had been greatly affected. A majority of those surveyed believed that restrictions have helped halt hospitalizations and helped slow the spread of the virus to some degree. The majority of Americans (62%) said that they felt that the restrictions were ”worth the cost.”
A slim majority of respondents (51%) noted that they felt there was too much pressure to become vaccinated. This, however, was one of the questions where responses varied greatly depending on views of the vaccine. As many as 88% of those who do not support the vaccine reported too much pressure. On the other side, 77% of those who support the vaccine view those who do not as “hurting the country.”
The report suggested that the majority of U.S. adults may not fully trust authorities on the topic of the vaccine. Fifty-five percent of respondents believed that public health officials are not telling the public everything they know about it. Nearly half (46%) of adults are unsure if there will be long-term health risks in taking the vaccine. Additionally, a solid 50% of Americans feel it is hard to make sense of all the information about the vaccine.
A narrow majority (54%) said they worry that the worst of the pandemic is still to come. This is also reflected in the desire for continued restrictions as we move forward. The vast majority (about 80%) believe that requiring masks on airplanes and restricted international travel is necessary. This view only dropped to 73% when asked if people should avoid large gatherings.
One of the greatest fears for 58% of respondents is that they might unknowingly spread the virus. This sentiment, however, is most expressed by those who have already been vaccinated. This group is also 19% more likely to wear a mask in public than those who have not been vaccinated.
