Optimity 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Survey Finds That 59% of Canadians are Concerned About Side Effects from the Vaccine
TORONTO: Optimity Inc., a mission-driven technology company focused on improving population health, today unveiled results from the 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Survey of Optimity app users. The survey was completed by 30,054 Canadian Optimity users across Canada to uncover insights on COVID-19 vaccine knowledge, views on COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer, as well as attitudes and behaviours around receiving the COVID-19 vaccination.
Among the topics addressed in the survey was consumer concern about possible long-term and short-term side effects from the vaccine. This was a concern noted by 59% of respondents, while just over a quarter (26%) had no concerns. Despite these concerns, 63% plan to get the vaccine, compared to 22% that are undecided, and 11% that are not planning to get the vaccine. Of those not planning to get the vaccine, 41% cited insufficient research as the reason for their decision, while 9% have a pre-existing condition that would prevent them from getting the vaccine, and 9% have had allergic reactions to other vaccines.
While 43% of survey respondents believe that all Canadians should be required to take the vaccine, 29% do not believe it should be mandatory. Asked if Canadians should be given a choice of vaccine based on manufacturer, 53% believe that they should be able to choose which vaccine they receive. This compares to 17% who didn’t think Canadians should be given a choice of vaccine manufacturer, and 30% who were undecided. If given the choice of COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer, 20% selected Pfizer–BioNTech, while 16% selected Moderna; 37% did not indicate a preference. The primary reason cited for selecting a particular manufacturer was that Canada had approved the vaccine (24%).
“The insights from our COVID-19 vaccine survey reinforce the need for ongoing consumer education around the vaccine,” says Jane Wang, founder and CEO of Optimity Inc. “With so many Canadians still on the fence about taking the vaccine, their ultimate decision can be informed through education by the Canadian government and other healthcare organizations on the safety of the COVID vaccines, what it takes to achieve herd immunity, and other related key topics.”
Through its app, Optimity captures valuable, anonymized insights on consumer sentiment on a variety of topics. The 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Survey is the second survey published by Optimity, and it comes on the heels of the Optimity 2020 Canadian Flu Survey, which was published on December 8, 2020 and features insights from 22,465 respondents from across the country.
Methodology
The Optimity 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Survey was conducted in the Optimity app from December 20 to December 27, 2020. The survey was completed by 30,054 Canadian Optimity users across Canada, with survey participants ranging in age from 15 years to over 65. A sample of this size has a confidence interval of ± 0.70 per cent.
