Will Your Child Or Teen Be Vaccinated? Patch NJ Survey Results

NEW JERSEY — Now that the Centers for Disease Control and the Food & Drug Administration gave emergency-use authorization for Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine to be given to teens ages 12-15, Patch asked our readers via this poll if they would allow their child to be vaccinated.

More than 900 people responded, and a majority — 535 people, or 54 percent — said no, they will not be vaccinating their teen or adolescent. 444 readers, 45 percent, said they will get their teenage child vaccinated.

The poll was sent to readers from Central Jersey, South Jersey and the Jersey Shore. Patch sent a separate survey out to the 60 Patch sites in North Jersey, and 1,843 readers there responded.

In the North Jersey poll, the majority (55.4 percent) said they would be vaccinating their teen or child, and 44.6 percent of readers said they would not. See the North Jersey survey results here: Mandating Vaccines For North Jersey Kids: Patch Survey Results

A majority of the poll for South and Central Jersey and the Jersey Shore (605 or 61 percent) also said they do not think New Jersey schools should require the coronavirus vaccine as a condition for students to return to school this fall. (Gov. Murphy has said all NJ schools will be in person this September, with no option for remote learning.)

Nealry 400 Patch readers (38.2 percent) disagreed, saying NJ schools should mandate the vaccine.

Do you plan on getting your teen vaccinated?

535 readers (54.6 percent) responded no

444 readers (45.4 percent) responded yes

Readers on both sides of the issue had strong opinions on the subject. A portion of the form allowed people to fill in their own thoughts:

"This should remain an individual choice," wrote one.

"Medical freedom is IMPERATIVE. Our body, our choice."

"My 13-year-old son got the 1st vaccine today. He has Asthma so we can’t trust to lose his mask even after vaccination. I don’t trust others will vaccinate unless its enforced."

"EVERYONE must do their PART."

Which of the following reasons best describes your feelings about getting children vaccinated?

More than 500 people answered this question, and the majority, 172 or 32 percent, said they were concerned about the safety of the vaccine.

The second most popular answer for vaccine hesitancy was "children don't get seriously ill with COVID-19 and have a low chance of dying or being hospitalized," which 134 people, or 25 percent, chose.

Nearly 100 readers (17 percent) said they were concerned about the possible side effects their teen would face, and 44 readers (8 percent) said they wanted to wait and see before making a decision.

Experts say vaccinating children is a crucial step towards attaining herd immunity. Would you consider this in your decision?

Of those who responded: 501 (93 percent) said no, they would not factor this advice or urging from experts into their decision-making, even if it meant the U.S. reaching herd immunity. Thirty-four people (6) percent said yes, they would consider it.

Will you vaccinate your young teens if schools were to require proof of vaccination for in-person learning? (So far, NJ has not reached a decision on whether schools will require the vaccine for students.)

535 responses: 510 (95 percent of people) said no. 25 people (4 percent) said yes.

Will you vaccinate your young teens if other programs like after-school activities or camps require proof of vaccination to attend?

535 responses: 523 (97.8 percent of people) said no. 12 people (2.2 percent) said yes.

Are you concerned about your children not being vaccinated and being around older or vulnerable family members?

535 responses: 512 (95 percent of people) said no. 23 people (4 percent) said yes.

Which of the following reasons best describes your feelings about getting children vaccinated?

979 responses: 258 people (26 percent) chose: "I will feel safer knowing my child is unlikely to get sick from COVID-19."

139 (14 percent) chose: "Vaccinating children is an important step towards reaching herd immunity."

The majority, 330 (33 percent) chose: "Other."

Do you think schools should require proof of vaccination for eligible students?

979 responses: 599 (61 percent) said no. 380 (38 percent) said yes.

Should vaccination be necessary for eligible students who want to go to in-person school?

979 responses: 605 (61.8 percent) said no. 374 (38.2 percent) said yes.

Should other programs like after-school activities or camps require proof of vaccination to attend?

979 responses: 602 (61 percent) said no. 377 (38 percent) said yes.

How could vaccinating your child or children between the ages of 12 and 15 change your current circumstances?

979 responses, with the majority choosing "other" but the second most popular choice being that children can return to face-to-face learning.

The survey was sent to more than 40 Patch sites in Central and South Jersey (This survey was sent to North Jersey Patch sites).

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