Survey shows generational vaccine attitudes

As the holidays approach and the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic wears into influenza season, GoHealth has produced a survey to gauge Americans’ views on vaccination, social distancing during the celebrations, and concerns about infection.

According to a news release, this year’s Winter Wellness Survey found that respondents’ health safety concerns continue to rise with both the increased spread of COVID-19 and flu across the country.

The data is broken down generationally, with groups of respondents over the age of 65, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.

The majority of the three younger reporting groups (56 percent of Gen Z, 57 percent of Millennials, and 60 percent of Gen X) are concerned about getting the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Meanwhile less than half of the respondents younger than 65 received their flu shot previous to the survey compared to 70 percent among those over 65, the release says.

More than a quarter of the younger respondents say that they do not plan to receive the flu shot this year, while a majority of those who had not received the shot (68 percent of Gen Z, 80 percent of Millennials, and 78 percent of Gen X) say that they usually do not receive a flu shot, according to the release.

Among those over 65, 40 percent say they plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available, that’s more than any other group, but not by much (34 percent Gen Z, 35 percent Millennials, and 39 percent Gen X), the release says.

While a majority of respondents across all the generations say that they plan to continue safety protocols after the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, one-third of the respondents from Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X say that they plan to visit with family indoors for the holidays, according to the release.