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COVID-19

Public Confusion and Partisan Divide on COVID-19 Vaccines Amid Federal Policy Changes

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Most adults do not expect to get a COVID-19 vaccine this fall, while a significant portion plan to do so, a new KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust reveals. The poll coincides with changes to federal vaccine policy, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommendation for shared decision-making between parents and doctors. The findings highlight a mix of confusion and varying opinions on the impact of these policy changes, particularly across partisan lines.

Key Takeaways:

  • Most adults (59%) do not expect to get a COVID-19 vaccine this fall, while 40% say they will "definitely" or "probably" get the shot.
  • Older adults (55%) and Democrats (70%) are more likely to say they will "probably" or "definitely" get the vaccine this fall, compared to Republicans, who predominantly say they won't get the shot.
  • Among those who plan to get the shot, two-thirds (66%) are concerned about vaccine availability, and a similar share of those with insurance (62%) are worried about their insurance covering the cost.
  • Half (48%) of parents say they don't know whether federal agencies recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children this year, while more say the vaccine is not recommended (31%) than recommended (21%).
  • Views on the impact of changes to vaccine policy are divided along partisan lines, with Republicans more likely to say the changes are making people safer, and Democrats more likely to say they are making people less safe.
  • At least a quarter of adults across party lines say they don't know enough to say how the changes will impact people.
  • The public's trust and confidence in federal authorities around vaccine issues vary, with more than half (57%) saying they trust the CDC to provide reliable vaccine information.

Statistics:

  • 59% of adults do not expect to get a COVID-19 vaccine this fall.
  • 40% of adults plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine this fall.
  • 55% of older adults say they will "probably" or "definitely" get the vaccine this fall.
  • 70% of Democrats say they will "probably" or "definitely" get the vaccine this fall.
  • 48% of parents say they don't know whether federal agencies recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children this year.
  • 57% of the public says they have at least "a fair amount" of trust in the CDC to provide reliable information on vaccines.
  • 37% of the public says they trust Secretary Kennedy to provide reliable information on vaccines.

Sources:

  • Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust, August 1, 2025.
  • KFF survey, conducted July 8-14, 2025, among a nationally representative sample of 1,283 U.S. adults in English and in Spanish.

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