Coronavirus politics translate to vaccine politics in rural Michigan

Poll: 60% Americans at least ‘probably’ considering COVID-19 vaccine

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Pam Thayer hasn’t hugged or kissed her daughter for nearly a year. That desire to interact with her family again is driving her willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine. She’s relying on science.

“I don’t need to know what’s in it, just that it works,” she said. “The scientists are the smartest people on this planet. They’re going to figure out how to take care of the rest of the world.”

Thayer, of Potterville, is one of a growing number of Americans who have indicated that they will get the vaccine for the coronavirus just as soon as it becomes available. A Pew Research Center poll from last week showed that 60% of Americans would “definitely” or “probably” get one too. The other 39% answered that would “definitely” or “probably” skip the shot altogether.

Holt resident Tammy Garner said she would take the vaccine because she’s diabetic, has two asthmatic children and also cares for her 82-year-old father-in-law. Their safety is too important.

“There are many people with immunocompromised conditions, and some that don’t even know they have them. We have to get a grasp on this before it gets worse,” Garner said.

The pandemic has been politicized. It’s only natural that its vaccine could be as well.

Heather Nation and her family in Charlotte aren’t traditionally opposed to vaccinations, but they said don’t plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine — at least while partisan politics remain at play. On Facebook, she alleged that the latest vaccine trials from Pfizer and Moderna are a “gimmick.”

“If it didn’t seem like a ploy to get Trump to lose, then just maybe we’d consider it,” she said.

Nation’s 11-year-old son has been roundly vaccinated since birth for such illnesses as chickenpox, measles, mumps and rubella. Still, she’d rather wait until others test it out first.

“Maybe years down the road, when we’ve seen how it’s affected other people,” Nation added.

Charlotte resident Dave Guerra is also “doubtful” the vaccine will be as effective as planned — up to 95% efficacy, according to announcements from Pfizer and Moderna in recent months.

“We don’t know the long-term impact of the vaccine,” Guerra said, noting that he recently recovered from COVID-19. He also contends that Democrats used the virus for political gain.

Though polls showed confidence rates hovering at 60%, experts agree: 70% to 80% of the American population must be vaccinated to reach an efficient level of immunity.

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