In the era of Trump, nothing surprises me any more. These kind of numbers are low, of course, and just based on a poll without a real vaccine in place yet, or in the foreseeable future. A hypothetical. About the only rational explanation for not getting the vaccine, when or if it ever comes, are concerns about the safety of something rushed out to the public before sufficient testing is done. Less convincing are those that fear catching the virus from the vaccine itself, an excuse often given for not getting a flu shot.

Older people said they were far more likely to get the vaccine. Ideologically, democrats more than republicans, which is hardly surprising. Perhaps the most jarring numbers were by race, with just 25% of African-Americans saying they would get the vaccine, and just 37% of Hispanics.

Source: Associated Press

Only about half of Americans say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine if the scientists working furiously to create one succeed, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

That’s surprisingly low considering the effort going into the global race for a vaccine against the coronavirus that has sparked a pandemic since first emerging from China late last year. But more people might eventually roll up their sleeves: The poll, released Wednesday, found 31% simply weren’t sure if they’d get vaccinated. Another 1 in 5 said they’d refuse.

Health experts already worry about the whiplash if vaccine promises like President Donald Trump’s goal of a 300 million-dose stockpile by January fail. Only time and science will tell -- and the new poll shows the public is indeed skeptical.