Health Care

One-third in new poll say they know someone who jumped the line to get vaccine sooner

A third of people in a new Axios-Ipsos poll said they know someone who jumped the line to get the coronavirus vaccine sooner.

The survey found that 31 percent of people knew someone who falsely claimed to have an underlying health condition or other criteria they knew would get them inoculated.

The coronavirus vaccine only recently became available for all U.S. adults.

Some states had previously prioritized health care professionals, the elderly and those with underlying conditions. The health conditions that qualified someone for early coronavirus vaccine access included chronic diseases, asthma and a person’s BMI.

Sixty-eight percent of respondents in the new poll say they don’t know anyone who skipped the line.

More than half of U.S. adults have now received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. 

The survey also found that despite a pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to blood clot concerns, most Americans still believe the vaccine is safe and their ambition to get it hasn’t decreased.

The poll also found that the partisan gap in opinions on the vaccine is shrinking, as 72 percent of President Biden’s supporters and 60 percent of former President Trump’s supporters believe the vaccine saves lives and people should get it as soon as possible. 

The poll included more than 1,000 respondents between April 16 and April 19. Its margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.