As Georgia has begun to roll out its vaccination plan, the public remains skeptical. Less than half (42 %) of Georgians believe that the government's vaccination plan is effective, - the National Democratic Institute (NDI or the Institute) and CRRC Georgia released poll results today.
According to the poll, only 35% would choose to receive a vaccine, if given the option right now; 53% said they would not. Vaccine hesitancy is highest among women and individuals under 55. Among those who are hesitant, the main reasons are concerns about the quality of the vaccine (48%) and the belief that they can overcome the pandemic without vaccination (20%). Georgians, who say they get their news on Covid-19 primarily from television (60%) and internet (35%), look to medical professionals (74%) and the Georgian National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) (68%) for trustworthy information.
“While the country continues to endure a political crisis, it is important to demonstrate that the fundamental needs of the public are being met,” said Alan Gillam, NDI Country Director. “Ensuring a smooth rollout of the vaccine and making use of trusted medical professionals to provide the public with accurate information will be critical to the government’s effort to deliver crucial services and safeguard public health”.
The results reflect data collected between February 17-24, through telephone interviews with a nationwide representative sample of Georgia’s adult population, excluding occupied territories, that included 2,024 completed interviews. The average margin of error is +/- 1.4%. Respondents were selected using the random-digit-dial method.
