The Food and Drug Administration approved the latest COVID booster shots from Pfizer and Moderna on Monday. While 57 percent of Americans intend to get the latest shots, the nation remains sharply divided along party lines over the boosters, according to a recent poll by Politico and Morning Consult.
As many as 79 percent of Democrats and 48 percent of Independents say they will “definitely” or “probably” receive the updated booster. By contrast, only 39 percent of Republicans say the same, with 44 percent saying they “definitely” won’t be getting the shot.
Prominent Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have repeatedly criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the pandemic, especially its vaccine mandates. Florida’s surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, recently urged healthy adults under the age of 65 not to receive a booster shot.
Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, denounced the Florida surgeon general, adding that “any efforts to undercut vaccine uptake are unfounded and frankly dangerous.” Cohen intends to go on a national tour soon to encourage vaccinations.
The Department of Health and Human Services has reportedly vowed to “use every lever at our disposal” to keep the public informed about available protective measures, including the new COVID booster shots.
The Biden administration’s vaccine campaign faces a number of challenges. For the first time, the government has decentralized vaccine distribution and handed responsibility largely to the private sector. Many Americans are also experiencing pandemic fatigue and have become less enthusiastic about being vaccinated.
Furthermore, the poll shows that the chances of swaying individuals who are unvaccinated remain slim, with just 9 percent of unvaccinated respondents saying they will get the booster shot.
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