Table 2. Reasons Rated as Highly Important for Why an Individual Has Not Yet Received a COVID-19 Vaccination by Vaccine Hesitancy Categories .
| Reasona | No. (%) (n = 339) | Vaccine hesitancy category |
|---|---|---|
| I am concerned about side effects from the vaccine. | 120 (36) | Vaccine skepticism |
| The COVID[-19] vaccine is new, so I want to wait a while before deciding. | 74 (22) | Vaccine deliberation |
| I prefer to use as few medicines as possible. | 65 (20) | Vaccine skepticism |
| I prefer gaining natural immunity. | 63 (19) | Vaccine skepticism |
| I do not trust the health care system to act in my best interests. | 61 (18) | Vaccine distrust |
| I do not trust vaccines. | 48 (15) | Vaccine dissent |
| I am eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine but have not yet been able to get an appointment. | 44 (13) | Policy and process |
| I am worried it will alter my DNA. | 40 (12) | Vaccine skepticism |
| I am not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine at this time. | 25 (8) | Policy and process |
| You need to get 2 shots about 1 mo apart for the vaccines to work. | 25 (8) | Policy and process |
| I am allergic to vaccines. | 23 (7) | Vaccine dissent |
| Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is too difficult. | 23 (7) | Policy and process |
| It is against my religious or philosophical beliefs. | 20 (6) | Vaccine dissent |
| I don’t know how to get a COVID-19 vaccine. | 19 (6) | Policy and process |
| I am concerned about vaccine safety related to pregnancy and/or breastfeeding. | 17 (5) | Vaccine skepticism |
| I’ve already had COVID-19 so I don’t believe that I need a COVID-19 vaccine. | 13 (4) | Vaccine indifference |
| I do not like needles. | 11 (3) | Vaccine skepticism |
| I don’t have transportation. | 5 (2) | Policy and process |
a
Respondents were provided the list of 18 reasons and asked to rate each as not important, slightly important, important, very important, or highly important and were also provided an option to provide their own reasons.