Steve Mitchell has been polling Michigan Republicans for more than 30 years and has seen a split involving coronavirus vaccine.
“When you ask, ‘Will you get the vaccine?’ And people say “No or I’m not sure,” 25% of Democrats say “No or I’m not sure.” 50% of Republicans say “No” or are not sure they will be vaccinated. That’s a huge difference, “he told CBS News’ David Begnaud.
He said he believed the difference in opinion “exists because of the ideology in the philosophy that Republicans have.”
“If you start with this fundamental distrust of big governments and dislike of government regulations and now they’re going to inject this into my arm? They’re going to start not wanting it,” Mitchell said.
One of these people is Chris Howe. He is a conservator who lives in Clarkston, Michigan, where he runs his own parquet business. Howe said he and his family went down with COVID-19 earlier this year and had mild symptoms, which makes him question how deadly the virus is and the need for a vaccine.
“I don’t think it’s necessary,” he said. “I understood her and I didn’t die.”
To target people who are hesitant about the vaccine, such as Howe, Michigan’s local health departments work with community leaders, such as faith groups.
A recent Marist poll, in partnership with NPR and PBS NewsHour, found that 49% of Republican men said they would not get the vaccine when it was available to them.
The hesitation of the vaccine among Republicans, especially Republican men, is something the GOP National Party leaders are trying to address, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who recently asked people to get the vaccine and said, “We have to let’s get this vaccine. to be set aside “.
In an interview with Fox News, former President Donald Trump said he got the vaccine. “It’s an excellent vaccine. It’s a safe vaccine. It’s something that works,” he said.
Howe said he had not heard enough information from sources he trusted to make him want to be shot and even though vaccines were considered safe and effective by doctors around the world consistently, he said he simply it is not moved by it.
“When I walk into stores, I’m a civilian and I wear a mask and so on. The mask is cute, social distancing. I’ll do that,” Howe said. “What would change my mind and to get this is that they will come out and say ‘If you get this vaccine, you will not give it to anyone else. If you get this vaccine, you will not get it. ‘If they get to where I think they’re hurting the rest of the population, then I’ll get shot. If I have to travel and go somewhere, then I’m going to get shot. “
– Aren’t you going to shoot? Begnaud asked.
“Probably not. Probably not,” Howe said.