Vaccine Hesitancy Dropping, Pace of Jabs Increasing

The latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index finds fewer Americans stand in hard opposition to getting the vaccine at any point since its release, suggesting the wall against vaccinations is beginning to crumble.

The poll is the first to be published since the full FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine, with employer and university mandates in the midst of increasing delta variant cases a likely influence.

Only one in five Americans now say they are not likely to get the shots, and those with the hardest opposition dropping to 14%, the lowest level since the beginning of the index.

Of parents of young children under 12, 68% now say they are likely to get their child vaccinated, with 31% in opposition. With more than 45 million children under 12, the numbers of vaccinated Americans could quickly increase once a vaccine is approved for young children.

The U.S. is averaging 900,000 vaccinations per day, up from 500,000 per day in mid-July, the White House reported on Tuesday.

MASK USAGE

The latest poll is also showing an increase in the usage of masks in public, as 69% now report using a mask some or all the time when leaving home, up from 52% in the July 20 report.

In schools, 70% support mask requirements. In public spaces, 66% support mask usage.