Vaccine hesitancy drops significantly in B.C. as more than 75% of adults have received 1st dose: poll
Vaccine hesitancy is dropping significantly in B.C. and most who have received at least one shot were happy with the process overall, a new poll suggests.
According to results of an Insights West survey released Monday, just five per cent of British Columbians are confident they will not be getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Another three per cent said they were "unlikely" to get a dose and two per cent said they were unsure.
In their last poll, conducted two months ago, Insights West said 23 per cent of those surveyed showed some form of hesitancy to getting a dose.
"British Columbians have come a long way at the tail end of this pandemic in accepting the vaccines that are available and many of the hesitations that we identified two months ago have lessened significantly," said Steve Mossop, president of Insights West, in a news release.
"There is only a small core group of five per cent now who will definitely not get the vaccine, giving us hope that we can go beyond the 80 per cent threshold to achieve the 'herd immunity' that so many experts have been telling us is essential to getting our lives back to normal."
As of Friday, B.C. surpassed the 75 per cent threshold of eligible adults receiving at least one dose.
For those who have gotten a shot, 92 per cent said they were satisfied with the process, the Insights West survey found.
"It’s likely that these positive experiences overall have had an impact on countering the hesitations that residents had prior to widespread vaccinations becoming available," Mossop said.
Ninety-nine per cent of those polled said they were at least somewhat satisfied with the friendliness of the staff they encountered, while 98 per cent said they were at least somewhat satisfied with the information provided at the clinic when they got their dose.
The survey also asked about the organization of the clinic, how long the process took, the comfort of where they waited and the overall convenience of where their appointment was. More than 90 per cent of respondents were at least somewhat satisfied with all those areas, with more than half saying they were extremely satisfied.
However, those who had their vaccine at a pop-up clinic or pharmacy appeared to rank their ease of booking an appointment lower. Sixteen per cent were dissatisfied with that process, compared to seven per cent for those who booked through another clinic.
Results are based on an online study conducted by Insights West Marketing Research between May 26 and May 30 among a sample of 831 residents across B.C. The margin of error with the total sample, which measures sample variability, is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.