AUSTRALIANS' willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines (COVAX) is on the rise, the latest Roy Morgan SMS survey into attitudes towards the pandemic virus reveals.
Vaccine acceptance rates saw 80% of respondents to the latest poll - taken over Fri and Sat - say they would be willing to be receive a COVID-19 vaccine, up 1% from the survey conducted two weeks earlier.
Roy Morgan found that vaccine acceptance was higher amongst older populations, with 88% of those age 65 years and older reporting they would be willing to receive the jabs, while those under 35 years reported the lowest rate of planned vaccine uptake, followed by 79% of those age between 35 and 49, and 80% of 50-64-year-olds.
The survey reported that Australians living in state capitals were more likely to be willing to be vaccinated (83%) compared with their regionally-based compatriots (75%).
NSW reported the highest rate of vaccine acceptance with 86% of respondents from the state positively disposed to be immunised, followed by 82% of Victorians, while Queenslanders were the most hesitant about the vaccines, with 29% saying they were not going to be vaccinated against the virus.
When it came to political preferences, Australian Greens voters expressed the highest rate of willingness to be vaccinated (84%), followed by Coalition supporters (82%) and Australian Labor Party backers (78%), while 71% of respondents who said they voted for Independent candidates or other parties said they would be innoculated against COVID-19.
While vaccine acceptance has risen in recent weeks, support for compulsory wearing of face masks has fallen by 11% since the middle of Jan, to 61%, with Victorians the most supportive of mandating them (78%), the survey found.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 15 Feb 21
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