Black Americans' vaccine hesitancy drops -poll

Black Americans' vaccine hesitancy drops -poll

The percentage of U.S. Black adults who say they have either received a vaccine shot for COVID-19 or want one as soon as possible rose to 55% in March from 41% in February, a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed.

This report by Yahaira Jacquez.

The percentage of Black adults in the United States who say they have either received a vaccine shot for COVID-19 or want one as soon as possible rose to 55% in March.

That's up 14 percentage points from February.

The survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed overall more Americans are warming up to the idea about being vaccinated.

With 61% of American adults reporting being vaccinated or intending to receive the shot.

That's up from 55% in February.

And the biggest driver in the change was interest from Black adults.

Distrust in COVID-19 vaccines has weighed on U.S. rollout efforts, especially in some communities of color.

A report by the foundation early this month showed Black and Hispanic communities have been lagging behind white people in receiving vaccines.

Meanwhile, fewer than half of Republicans said they have either received at least one dose of the vaccine or intend to get it.

That's compared to about eight in 10 Democrats, according to the report.

Democrats, college graduates and adults aged 65 and over are among the groups most likely to say they have received the vaccine or intend to do so, the survey showed, with young adults and African Americans among groups likely to wait and see.