Vaccine Study 1
The Effect of Different Vaccine Scenarios on Vaccine Perceptions
Impact Canada, Impact & Innovation Unit, Privy Council Office
Summary
Impact Canada’s first deep dive study on vaccines carried out with academic collaborators at the University of Waterloo, with support from Ontario’s Behavioural Insights Unit. A broadly representative sample of approximately 800 Canadians answered a variety of questions regarding their intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Participants were asked to provide their attitudes related to vaccines in general, and to a COVID-19 vaccine in particular. Their perceptions and attitudes regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, levels of trust in scientists, institutions, and public leaders, and demographic characteristics were also assessed. Participants were randomly assigned to imagine a variety of hypothetical scenarios regarding an eventual COVID-19 vaccine, and asked how those scenarios (e.g., the vaccine requiring two doses) would impact their intentions to be vaccinated.
Key Insights
Early intentions to vaccinate appeared to be associated with a subset of factors, including trust in government and mainstream news and perceptions that a COVID-19 vaccine is risky. Analysis also identified four primary segments of Canadians based on their intentions to vaccinate: Strong Supporters (high intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available), Choice Deferrers (intention to receive a vaccine after a period of waiting), Hesitators (unsure of intentions), and Non-Supporters (no intention to receive a vaccine at any point). Importantly, Strong Supporters and Non-Supporters indicated that their minds were made up about whether or not they will get a vaccine, whereas Choice Deferrers and Hesitators indicated the opposite. This trend – first identified in Study 1 and holding strong since – presented a “moveable middle” segment of the population to be best served by public engagement and communication efforts.