Are You Confident In A Coronavirus Vaccine? Take The Patch Survey

MASSACHUSETTS — For the better part of 10 months, the world has been awaiting the emergence of vaccines to provide the first major pushback against the coronavirus. Now, with that time upon us, the politicization of the virus — as well as a strengthening anti-vaccine movement — means not everyone is clamoring for it.

The first COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in Massachusetts in mid-December. Pfizer's vaccine was approved overnight in the United Kingdom and is up for emergency use authorization in the United States next week, and Cambridge-based Moderna is hoping for the same for its vaccine the following week.

Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday the limited supply of vaccines will be prioritized for frontline health care workers and high-risk seniors. The public likely won't start receiving vaccines until the spring. The state will submit its final plan for vaccine distribution to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday — you can see its interim plan here.

Baker said the vaccine will not be mandatory. His administration this year made the flu vaccine mandatory for students, a change that will remain for the future.

So Patch wants to know: How do you feel about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines? Do you plan on taking it as soon as possible? Has the politicization of the vaccine and virus impacted your feelings on it?

The survey will close later this week, and then we'll post results. The survey is not meant to be a scientific poll, with random sampling and margins of error, but is meant only to gauge the sentiments of our readers in an informal way.