Brian Wallace, Founder & President, NowSourcing

Vaccine confidence is holding firm, but it has reached a plateau.  Approximately 10-15% of the United States population needs to change their mind to achieve herd immunity at 70-85%.  Closing the gap is simpler than you think.  Real Chemistry has been tracking vaccine confidence in the United States population since November of 2020.  Their methodology consisted of their proprietary social and digital analytics and global polling.  They correlated this self-reported vaccine confidence data in February 2021 from social media with consumer data for over 5,000 research participants. 

Real Chemistry looked at the attributes of Americans who are ambivalent about vaccination and noticed that living in a small town, having right-leaning ideologies, or being Black/African American is not the reason why these groups are less willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.  Instead, they discovered underlying factors that are common in these groups and many other segments of the American population.  Vaccination rates by political affiliation, geography, and race remain high with a subtle difference among segments.  While most segments are willing to vaccinate, the right-leaning political affiliation is most unwilling for two main reasons: freedom of choice and side effects. 

Even with this information, safety and broad immunity are associated with high confidence.  Belief in vaccine safety is high among all political affiliations, as is the belief that we can achieve broad immunity.  Additionally, vaccine confidence for right-leaning individuals is rising and moving closer to the other segments.  Currently, vaccination rates by healthcare providers remain at an all-time high with strong endorsements. 

Real Chemistry discovered common attributes associated with vaccine confidence and ambivalence.  Their research shows that race, geography, and political affiliation are not demographic characteristics determining who is willing to vaccinate.  Those who are confident in the vaccine tend to save a large portion of their income, make charitable donations, and live in an area with a high number of individuals with STEM degrees.  Top consumer attributes associated with vaccine ambivalence are those who spend a high proportion of their income on consumer goods, are more likely to read the bible, and have an average education level of high school or less. 

Closing the gap will require vaccine incentives, increased accessibility and convenience, and positive dialogue.  Refrain from pointing fingers at the right-leaning political party because we will be more successful in converting vaccine-hesitant citizens by emphasizing their personal and economic benefits while reinforcing freedom of choice.  Additionally, adding dose availability within local health care provider offices and clinics will provide greater access.  Finally, freedom of choice must remain paramount, but governments and companies should experiment with incentives that resonate with vaccine-hesitant citizens. 

Via: realchemistry.com

About the Author: Brian Wallace is the Founder and President of