Should you get the COVID-19 vaccine? These questions (and answers) could help you make a decision

COVID-19 claimed hundreds of thousands of American lives and seriously sickened many thousands more before the vaccines protecting against the virus were widely available in the U.S.

Now 7 in 10 American adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but the new rise in cases fueled by the delta variant threatens to undo the country’s progress toward normality.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 16% of U.S. adults will “probably or definitely” not get the vaccine. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, other unvaccinated adults vary in their plans and concerns:

• 3% intend to get the vaccine as soon as possible.
• 6% will get a vaccine “only if required” for work or other activities.
• 10% want to “wait and see” before getting vaccinated.

There is a lot of information out there and we know it can be hard to sort through it all. So we reviewed issues and objections related to COVID-19 vaccines and provided responses based on science, in addition to ways you can get help or research further. 

Unvaccinated adults less worried about COVID-19, more concerned about vaccine

The number of daily COVID-19 vaccines has dropped since April. The CDC says about 401.3 million doses have been delivered. About 347.4 million doses have been administered.

Fewer COVID-19 vaccinations administered daily in US

Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez and Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY

SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Kaiser Family Foundation; University of Oxford