Thirty Percent of Greeks Say They Will Shun Vaccine When Available

According to a recent poll by Pulse, on behalf of Skai television, up to 30 percent, of Greek citizens say that they will not receive the vaccine for the coronavirus.
Despite the nonstop pandemic-related economic and social problems and challenges of this year, a sizable amount of the population, which may be mirrored in other countries as well, has such severe reservations about the shot that they would refuse to take it, according to the survey.
The vaccines, including one from Pfizer/BioNTech, another from Moderna, which both use RNA as their basis, and a third, developed by Oxford University/AstraZeneca, may all the available to the general public by the early months of 2021, but a sizable minority in society are not convinced of their efficacy.
Others maintain that the vaccines, produced and tested over the past several months, as opposed to the normal years-long development and testing process, are wary of their safety.
Fully 30 percent of respondents in the survey answered “Definitely not or probably not” to the question posed of whether or not they would become vaccinated.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is an exact average of other recent surveys of the Greek public on this issue, including the MRB poll, which showed that 37.7 percent would refuse the shot, the Metron Analysis survey which showed that 41 percent would not take it voluntarily, and the Interview poll, which found that 23.7 percent would refuse it.
But perhaps most interestingly, over half, or 51 percent, of all those polled between the ages of 17 and 29 said that they would “definitely not or probably not” receive the vaccine willingly.
Despite the government and almost all Greek political parties and organizations have backed the vaccination and urged their fellow citizens to be vaccinated as soon as possible, the cohort of the public which stubbornly clings to anti-vaccination fears and rumors is a difficult one to identify politically.
The general manager of Pulse, Giorgos Arapoglou, said in a press report that the “gray zone” of undecided voters which showed itself in political polling during the pre-Covid era is now represented by the percentage of citizens who have expressed fears about the coronavirus vaccination.
In a particularly difficult to understand finding of the poll, the data showed that more than 40 percent those who are hesitant about vaccinating themselves are facing “serious financial difficulties.” Such difficulties are many times directly related to the many financial ramifications of the pandemic this year.
Moreover, females appear to express more hesitancy than males regarding the vaccines.
Some regional difference came to light as well, with people living outside the Attica Basin more likely to refuse the shot, with under 30 percent of those living near the capital refusing to take it when it becomes available.
The Pulse study also found that approximately 20 percent of New Democracy voters expressed doubts about the vaccine, while fully 34 percent of SYRIZA voters felt the same way. Fewer than 20 percent of members of the Movement for Change party said that they would forego the shot.
But perhaps most interestingly, over half, or 51 percent, of all those polled between the ages of 17 and 29 said that they would “definitely not or probably not” receive the vaccine willingly.
Greece’s ruling party has charged SYRIZA, led by former PM Alexis Tsipras, of doing little to counteract the anti-vaccine sentiment within its party and of “turning a blind eye to supporters of the anti-vaccination movement.”