As the delta variant surges among children and presents challenges for the new school year, more than 50% of parents of children ages 12-17 are still opposed to their children getting the Covid-19 vaccine or plan to “wait and see,” a new Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll found, with Republicans and younger parents among the most likely to be against their kid getting the shot.
The KFF poll, conducted July 15 – August 2 among 1,259 U.S. parents, found 20% of parents of 12- to 17-year-olds will “definitely not” get their child vaccinated, 9% will only have them get it if the school requires the vaccine and 23% plan to “wait and see,” while 41% of parents say their children are vaccinated and 6% plan to get their child the shot as soon as possible.
The group most opposed to getting their child the vaccine are parents who are unvaccinated themselves, with 69% saying their kid will “definitely not” get the shot or will only get it if required and 22% planning to wait and see (versus 9% of vaccinated parents opposed to the shot and 23% planning to wait and see).
Republican parents were the next largest demographic to refuse the vaccine for their child, with 48% against the shot or opposed unless it’s required, along with parents ages 18-39 (39% say definitely not or only if required), without a college degree (33%) and with annual household incomes of either under $40,000 or between $40,000 and $89,999 (both 34%).
Black parents were slightly more likely to be opposed to their child’s vaccination than white parents—34% versus 31%—but white parents were more likely to say their child would “definitely not” get the shot (24% versus 19% of Black parents) while more Black parents would only have them get it if required (15% versus 7% of white parents).
The groups least resistant to getting their children vaccinated are Democrats (13% say definitely not or only if required), Independents (18%), Hispanic parents (22%), those with a college degree (22%), parents ages 40 and older (23%) and those with an annual household income of over $90,000 (23%).
Parents’ major reasons for not yet getting their children vaccinated include not enough information about the long-term effects of vaccination on children (88%), fears about side effects (79%) and fears the vaccine may impact their child’s fertility (73%)—which is unsubstantiated by evidence—and Black and Hispanic parents were more likely to have concerns about vaccine access issues like taking time off work or getting their child’s shot at a place they trust.
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