Americans divided over vaccinating amid a deadly flu season

Hoang NguyenData Journalist
January 24, 2018, 3:00 PM GMT+0

While 45% have received the flu shot, 43% say they won’t get it

Talk of the flu makes its rounds every winter but this season, the virus is on track to be deadlier than any in recent memory. According to the CDC, thirty children have died due to influenza-related causes and adults, even healthy millennials, are vulnerable to this year’s flu season. A recent YouGov poll uncovers just how many Americans have gotten or soon intend to get the flu shot – and how many don’t plan to at all.

New data from YouGov Omnibus shows a split on vaccination. Under half of all Americans say that they have already received their flu shot (45%) while nearly the same amount of people (43%) say they don’t plan on getting the shot at all. Close to one in ten people (9%) say that while they haven’t received the flu shot, they do plan on getting the vaccine at some point.

Seniors are more likely to get the flu shot; 59% of those over 55 years of age say they have already received the flu shot, while only a third of that age group (33%) say they don’t plan on getting the vaccine at all.

Nearly every other age group reports lower rates of vaccination participation. In fact, even if Americans between the ages of 25 and 54 who say they plan on getting their flu shots actually do, the number of those who are vaccinated would still be lower than those who say they will not get the flu shot at all.

Younger millennials (18 to 24) show the most interest in still getting their flu shots. While just a third of them (33%) have their flu shots, nearly one in five (18%) say they plan on getting the vaccine at some point.

Learn more about YouGov Omnibus

Image: Getty