Data Show Those Influenced By Covid Misinformation More Likely To Refuse Vaccines

The more susceptible people are to misinformation, the less likely they are to be vaccinated for Covid. 

Confirming that the impact of misinformation from social media is non-trivial. JL

David Nather reports in Axios:

The impact of COVID vaccine misinformation is not trivial. Data show a strong correlation between people who are influenced by COVID misinformation and those who are unlikely to get the vaccine. Americans who believed misinformation or were unsure whether it was true or false were less likely to get the vaccine than those who knew it was false. There was a strong correlation between lack of trust in the CDC and vulnerability to misinformation: 40% of those who don't trust the CDC didn't give any correct answers to six misinformation questions, while another 28% only got one to three answers right.

A new look at the data from our most recent Axios-Ipsos poll shows a strong correlation between the people who are influenced by COVID vaccine misinformation and those who are unlikely to get the vaccine.

The big picture: As this graphic shows, Americans who either believed misinformation or were unsure whether it was true or false were less likely to get the vaccine than those who knew that it was false.

The poll asked whether six false statements about the coronavirus vaccines were true or false, including that the vaccine includes a microchip to track the recipient; vaccines that use messenger RNA technology promote cancer; the vaccines sterilize people who get them; and the vaccine is more deadly than the virus.

• The groups that outright believed the misinformation were fairly small. The bigger issue was the number of people who said they didn't know whether it was true or false — which doesn't count as a correct answer.
• For example, only 3% incorrectly said it was true that the COVID vaccines sterilize the recipients, but 35% said they weren't sure.

By the numbers: The poll also found that people who said they didn't trust the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or public health officials to give accurate information about COVID were more likely than other groups to say they're not going to get the shot.

• For example, 47% of people who don't trust the CDC said they're not at all likely to get vaccinated, while another 15% said they're not very likely to get it.
• By contrast, 44% of those who trust the CDC said they've already been vaccinated, while 26% said they're very likely to get the shot and 13% said they're somewhat likely to get it.
• There was also a strong correlation between lack of trust in the CDC and vulnerability to misinformation: 40% of those who don't trust the CDC didn't give any correct answers to the six misinformation questions, while another 28% only got one to three answers right.

The bottom line: The impact of COVID vaccine misinformation is not trivial.