3 out of 4 Indians are hopeful of a Covid-19 Vaccine by year end: Ipsos

In a new Ipsos survey of nearly 20,000 adults from 27 countries on behalf of the World Economic Forum, 87% urban Indians and 74% global citizens say they will get the  vaccine shot when it is available. The survey also captured views on the likelihood of the vaccine coming this year and what were the reservations, among those who were not amenable to taking the vaccine comes.

Interestingly, majority across the 27 markets were keen to get the COVID19 vaccine. Markets most eager to get the vaccine were: China (97%), Brazil (88%), Australia (88%), India (87%), Malaysia (85%), Great Britain (85%), among others. And the markets most divided in their views were of Russia (54%), Poland (56%), Hungary and France (59%).

"Vaccine is the only way to protect from the resilient SARS CoV-2 – and because of the high communicability of the contagion and with no sure shot cure in sight, the COVID 19 vaccine, to safeguard from the virus is definitely awaited by majority of Indians. The vaccine will herald some bit of normalcy," said Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India.  

Vaccine by year end?
 
At least 3 in 4 urban Indians (74%) are hopeful of a COVID19 Vaccine by year end. India is 3rd in the pecking order in optimism, after China (87%) and Saudi Arabia (75%). Global citizens and most markets are either divided or pessimistic of a vaccine coming about this soon, by year end, that is.  The markets most pessimistic were, Poland (22%), Japan (22%) and Belgium (23%).    

Reasons for not taking a vaccine

The nearly 5,000 adults surveyed who do not intend to take a vaccine for COVID-19 were asked why they would not do so. In every one of the 27 countries (including India), the #1 reason is worry about the side effects, cited by 56% globally (from 70% in Spain and 68% in Sweden to 41% in Argentina and 40% in Saudi Arabia).

The second-most common reason for not wanting to take a COVID-19 vaccine is doubt about its effectiveness, cited by 29% globally (from as many as 44% in Russia and Poland to just 12% in China and 9% in Mexico).

The third most common reason is the perception of not being enough at risk from COVID-19, cited by 19% globally. Among those who are reluctant to be vaccinated, this view is most prevalent in India (37%), Malaysia (36%) and Sweden (35%), while it is least so in Italy (7%) and Brazil (10%).

General opposition to vaccines is cited by 17% of those who would not get a COVID-19 vaccine globally, but as many as 30% in Russia and Italy.