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Could the Golden Rule Sway Some Vaccine Skeptics?

John Micek on

In fact, nearly a quarter of that group say they don’t want the shot at all, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a new study.

Encouragingly, Hispanic Catholics made the largest gains in vaccine acceptance, rising from 56 percent in March to 80 percent in June. Nearly eight in 10 white Catholics (79 percent) also are acceptors, up from 68 percent in March, the poll found.

“As religious leaders work to build community trust in the COVID-19 vaccine, they should simultaneously provide services that help eliminate barriers so that all willing populations are receiving vaccinations,” PRRI CEO and founder Robert P. Jones said in a statement.

Overall, the poll shows that vaccine hesitancy has decreased among all Americans, but substantial barriers to getting the jab, notably, time constraints, access to reliable transportation, and childcare, have posed barriers.

And those obstacles have been the most pronounced among younger Americans and communities of color.

For instance:

- “More than four in ten Hispanic Protestants (44 percent) say that having time to get vaccinated or deal with the possible side effects is a critical reason (22 percent) or one of the reasons (22 percent) they have not gotten vaccinated yet,” the poll found.

- Also, “Hispanic Protestants are most likely to report that lack of childcare is an issue (21 percent), but one in five Black Americans (20 percent) struggle with this as well.

 

- And “Black Protestants are most likely to report that a health condition is a critical reason (18 percent) or one of the reasons (18 percent) they have not gotten vaccinated. About one-third of Hispanic Protestants (34 percent) also report that health is a critical reason or one of the reasons they have not gotten vaccinated,” the poll further found.

When he’s been out on the stump, President Joe Biden (along with his lieutenants) has pitched getting vaccinated as the selfless, patriotic thing to do.

The new polling data show there’s a role for America’s religious leaders - regardless of sect or creed - to play from the pulpit as well. Churches, as gathering places, also are sources of childcare and other support systems so critical to their communities.

From the time they’re children, most Americans are taught there’s no higher good than loving their neighbor. Doing it, especially now, can be a challenge. And it’s supposed to be that way. But there’s no better time than now to put it into action.

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An award-winning political journalist, John L. Micek is Editor-in-Chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pa. Email him at jmicek@penncapital-star.com and follow him on Twitter @ByJohnLMicek. Copyright 2021 John L. Micek, distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate.


Copyright 2021 John Micek, All Rights Reserved. Credit: Cagle.com

 

 

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