Tri-Cities survey shows which city is resisting the COVID vaccine the most and why

A survey of Tri-Cities area adults yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19 found that about half were adamantly opposed to being vaccinated, but that 40% to 50% might be persuadable.

Reasons and opinions for not getting the vaccine varied, with sharp differences by age, ethnicity and where people lived.

The survey, which was conducted before the more contagious delta variant became the dominant strain in the Tri-Cities area, found that unvaccinated people in Kennewick were the least likely in the three Tri-Cities to be persuaded.

Hispanics were more open to considering the vaccine than non-Hispanic whites.

And people older than 55 who were still unvaccinated were not likely to change their minds, the survey found.

The survey, done by Zencity and commissioned by the Benton Franklin Health District, recruited unvaccinated residents over the internet and then collected information in English and Spanish on their plans and attitudes toward the vaccine in June.

Public health officials continue to be concerned that the COVID vaccination rate in the Tri-Cities lags the state.

Some 49% in Benton County and 42% in Franklin County old enough to get the vaccine are fully vaccinated. That compares to 63% of Washington state residents.

New focus

The survey results gave public health officials confidence they have one good tactic to convince more people to get the vaccine — making sure it’s available where people already get medical care and trust the advice of their health care providers.

Having the vaccine widely available at doctor’s offices, clinics and pharmacies has replaced the previous focus on mass vaccination, drive-thru sites and pop-up clinics, said Dr. Amy Person, health officer for Benton and Franklin counties.

The Washington state Department of Health has called on doctors and other health care providers to ask their patients if they have received the vaccine, provide information on it, recommend it and then offer it.

Some 81% of 1,062 adults surveyed in Benton and Franklin counties said they trusted their own doctor to give them reliable information about it.

That was followed by 57% saying they would trust a family member, and 54% who said they would trust either the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Benton Franklin Health District.

Just 38% said they would trust Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and that dropped to 24% for local elected officials.

As of late July, about 95% of COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized since February were not fully vaccinated, according to the Washington state Department of Health. Although some people who are fully vaccinated still may become ill with COVID-19, most have milder symptoms and some have no symptoms.

“Vaccination (is) the best tool we have in this pandemic,” “said Dr. Umair Shah, Washington state secretary of health.

Vaccination plans

The survey gauged how likely unvaccinated people were to get vaccinated, finding that 54% did not plan to ever get vaccinated against COVID.

But 15% said they had not decided yet and another 15% said they were waiting to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective.

The remainder included 8% of people who said they planned to get vaccinated as soon as possible, 6% who said they didn’t feel getting vaccinated was urgent and 2% who were waiting for a convenient time.

The most commonly cited reason for adults not being vaccinated or delaying it was a belief by the unvaccinated that they had a low risk of getting seriously sick from COVID, with more than half of the unvaccinated giving that reason.

Parents who were unvaccinated said they were concerned about long-term health risks to their children from the vaccine, citing that as the major reason for also not getting them vaccinated.

Resistance by age, ethnicity

Unvaccinated people 55 and older said no reasons offered in the survey would encourage them to be vaccinated.

But some of those 18 to 34 said being able not to wear a mask might encourage them to be vaccinated.

And some adults ages 25 to 54 said being able to travel and visit public places might encourage them to be vaccinated.

Hispanics surveyed were less resistant to being vaccinated than white non-Hispanics.

Just 45% of Hispanics said they did not plan to ever be vaccinated, compared to 59% of white non-Hispanics in the survey.

Resistance by Tri-Cities town

People in Kennewick were particularly adamant about not planning to be vaccinated — 62% of unvaccinated people responding to the survey from Kennewick said they have no plans to get vaccinated.

That dropped to 44% in Pasco and 38% in Richland.

Richland residents were by far the most likely to say that although they were unvaccinated, they planned to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Some 23% of Richland residents said they were ready to be vaccinated, compared to 8% of Pasco residents and 3% of Kennewick residents.

Pasco residents were most likely to be undecided.

Survey results said 27% of Pasco residents were undecided about getting the vaccine, compared to just 9% of Richland residents and 6% of Kennewick residents.