A shocking number of Americans don't know whether they're eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine

Tim O'Donnell
·2 min read

The good news is COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy appears to be shrinking in the United States. The latest data from the KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor shows the number of American adults who have either been vaccinated or intend to be vaccinated as soon as they can has risen to 61 percent, while the "wait and see" camp has dwindled to 17 percent. But there's another, less-discussed issue: Some people simply aren't sure whether they're eligible, perhaps reflecting broader communication problems from state and public health officials.

KFF has found that as many as three in ten American adults don't know if they're currently free to get a shot, and the numbers are higher among specific demographics, including Latinos, Black Americans, people making less than $40,000 annually, and people who don't have college degrees.

On the plus side, KFF has seen an increase in the amount of people who are aware of their eligibility status over the last several weeks, and states are gradually opening up access, anyway, so it may not be long before everyone who wants a vaccine can get one without having to decipher complex eligibility requirements.

The latest KFF survey was conducted via phone between March 15-22 among 1,862 adults in the U.S. The margin of error is 3 percentage points. Read more at KFF.

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