- Respondents answered as politicians were forming newly announced plans
- Vaccinations in some workplaces favored, close to Biden Plan
- Florida results released as state’s Legislature meets about curtailing mandates
ST. LEO, FL – After 19 months of living with the effects of COVID-19, more Americans than not are in favor of vaccination mandates for health care workers, teachers, those at workplaces with more than 100 employees, and those professional athletes expected to play, according to the latest Saint Leo University Polling Institute (http://polls.saintleo.edu). There are similarly high levels of support for exemptions from mandates for those with compromised immune systems or other health conditions.
Those are among the findings of a survey conducted from October 17 to 23, among 1,000 respondents nationally, and with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.0 percentage points. Another 500 respondents completed a parallel survey fielded at the same time in Florida to assess the sentiment within the Sunshine State; the margin of error for Florida results is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
Several of the very questions respondents answered are being weighed or advanced now by high-level policy makers. President Joe Biden, for instance, has called for employers with 100 or more employees to ensure each of their workers is fully vaccinated or tests for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis, and for health care at facilities paid by the Medicare and Medicaid programs to be fully vaccinated. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, for one, has other opinions, and called for a special state legislative session to curtail mandates; the session that began November 15 in Tallahassee.
Frank Orlando, director of the Saint Leo University Polling Institute, said, “It remains to be seen what the outcome of President Biden’s employee mandate will be as it winds its way through several legal challenges, but Republicans in some states are not waiting for the situation to play out. Governors in states such as Texas and Florida are looking to stop vaccine mandates and are trying to raise their own political profile in the process.”
Meanwhile, the polling institute was able to assess public opinion about COVID response measures by presenting respondents with 20 test statements in part of the survey. Respondents indicated whether they agree strongly, somewhat agree, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly. The polling institute then added results for those who agree strongly and agree somewhat for each individual test statement to gauge the idea’s appeal.
In the case of two statements, there was majority agreement. More than 80 percent of respondents—specifically 81.4 percent in the national sample and 83.8 percent of the Florida sample—say they are still taking precautions due to COVID-19. And 71.9 percent nationally, along with 75.6 percent in Florida, say they “tend to trust science and health officials when it comes to COVID information.”
Orlando, who also teaches political science at Saint Leo University, commented that in this COVID era, “people say that they follow the science,” and some also say they do “their own research.” He described the second phrase as “a coded term for finding sources that confirm what we already believe.”
So there may be less commonality to the notion of belief in science than one might expect. “In our fragmented media environment,” Orlando said, “there are always sources that will tell us what we want to hear.”
To put it another way, Dr. Cheryl Kozina, who teaches biology and medical humanities at Saint Leo, said she has observed that “those in opposition to pandemic policies seem to be able to find those outlier medical professionals who ‘support’ their point of view, even if that point of view goes against the vast majority of the scientific and medical community.”
Personal behavior and vaccinations
Elsewhere in the survey, a cumulative 82.1 percent of the 1,000 national respondents, and 82.2 percent of the 500 Florida respondents, indicated they had received or planned to receive vaccination shots.
This section of the survey probed further to ask about interactions with others concerning their own vaccination status.
| COVID statements – presented to find out whether or not people agree | National % agreeing strongly & somewhat | Florida % agreeing strongly & somewhat |
| I am willing to reveal my vaccination status to family & friends | 78.2
(52.8 strongly; 25.4 somewhat) |
81.0
(55.4 strongly; 25.6 somewhat) |
| I am willing to reveal my vaccination status to authorities such as government officials | 68.4
(46.5 strongly; 21.9 somewhat) |
69.0
(45.6 strongly; 23.4 somewhat) |
| I support “passports” (proof of vaccinations) in my community to get into restaurants, concerts, or sporting events | 58.0
(34.7 strongly; 23.3 somewhat) |
58.4
(36.6 strongly; 21.8 somewhat) |
Kozina, the biologist, said these results held some surprises. She found it “notable that with 80 percent of respondents vaccinated or planning to vaccinate, that many fewer are willing to show that proof to get into a concert of restaurant,” which, she noted, are apt to be private businesses and not government-run sites. She found the reticence “curious” and wondered if it suggests that people consider passports a form of overreach.
Public opinion on vaccines and occupations
Respondents were asked to react to several test statements about possible public measures that could be adopted to get more people vaccinated or that could be applied once people are vaccinated. Here, in declining order of popularity nationally, are several responses to questions about vaccinations for certain occupations and the general public.
| COVID statements – presented to find out whether or not people agree | National % agreeing strongly & somewhat | Florida % agreeing strongly & somewhat |
| I support mandating that health care workers are vaccinated | 65.7
(42.6 strongly; 23.1 somewhat) |
66.8
(47.0 strongly; 19.8 somewhat) |
| I support mandating that teachers are vaccinated | 62.2
(41.0 strongly; 21.2 somewhat) |
64.8
(45.6 strongly; 19.2 somewhat) |
| I support mandating that employers (over 100 employees ) require vaccinations among their workforces | 58.6
(37.9 strongly; 20.7 somewhat) |
60.6
(40.4 strongly; 20.2 somewhat) |
| Those who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 should not be subject to mask mandates | 45.4
(24.0 strongly; 21.4 somewhat) |
45.8
(24.4 strongly; 21.4 somewhat) |
The results here suggest two explanations, according to the polling director Orlando. “The relatively high percentage of people who support the mandates stems both from the fact that people want to be safe at a time when cases are rising almost everywhere but the South, and the percentage of people who want this to be over as soon as possible,” he said.
Also, those who answered in favor of masking despite having been vaccinated may be among those who “have vulnerable household members, children too young to be vaccinated, immune-compromised, cancer patients, or have other conditions,” Kozina said.
The continuation of masking also makes it easier to maintain a safer environment when dealing with a population that can easily contain non-vaccinated people and vaccinated people, such as stores and classrooms, she added. The masks remove from those administering such spaces the responsibility of asking those present whether they are in fact, vaccinated, and whether they have proof.
Vaccinations for pro athletes, celebrities, and event-going fans
Big games in sports, concerts, and other events that draw large audiences became a concern during the pandemic, prompting the polling institute to ask respondents their opinions about event admissions and those drawing the crowds.
| COVID statements – presented to find out whether or not people agree | National % agreeing strongly & somewhat | Florida % agreeing strongly & somewhat |
| Attendees at sporting or entertainment events—indoors or outdoors—should be vaccinated | 62.4
(39.0 strongly; 23.4 somewhat) |
63.8
(39.6 strongly; 24.2 somewhat) |
| Professional sports players should be vaccinated to play | 61.5
(40.7 strongly; 20.8 somewhat) |
60.6
(40.6 strongly; 20.0 somewhat) |
| My opinion of professional sports figures and celebrities who refuse vaccinations has diminished | 52.3
(29.9 strongly; 22.4 somewhat) |
54.8
(31.0 strongly; 23.8 somewhat)
|
Kozina, in reviewing these results with an eye toward professional sports, commented that, “We have many professional athletics organizations, working together with the players’ unions, come up with precautionary measures that would allow even unvaccinated players to play, as long as they followed particular precautions, such as regular testing and masking.” So it is understandable, she said, that people now have diminished opinions of players who have been found to have lied about their status “and put their teammates and team staff at risk.”
Aaron Rodgers, the professional quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, is the latest to come into public criticism for having maintained that he had been vaccinated when he was not, a choice that Kozina said she personally considers “selfish.”
Exemptions from precautions for various reasons
Various public health measures have been considered, debated, adopted, or banned during recent months. The polling institute wanted to find out under what circumstances the public thinks individuals should be exempt from vaccination requirements or mask-wearing requirements. As several circumstances are possible, a number of test statements were included in the survey.
| COVID statements – presented to find out whether or not people agree | National % agreeing strongly & somewhat | Florida % agreeing strongly & somewhat |
| Compromised immunity or health exemptions from mandates should be allowed | 68.8
(36.2 strongly; 32.6 somewhat) |
71.0
(34.8 strongly; 36.2 somewhat) |
| Religious exemptions from mandates should be allowed | 52.3
(27.5 strongly; 24.8 somewhat) |
52.8
(27.4 strongly; 25.4 somewhat) |
| Those who have had COVID-19 or have the antibodies to COVID-19 should receive an exemption from mandates | 47.5
(26.2 strongly; 21.3 somewhat) |
50.4
(28.6 strongly; 21.8 somewhat) |
The results showing that more than two-thirds of respondents favor vaccine exemptions for people with certain health conditions makes sense to Kozina, who noted that, “we’re talking cancer patients and transplant patients here. It’s hard to not have sympathy for those folks.”
On the topic of religious exemptions, Saint Leo University’s Dr. Stephen Okey, an expert on Catholic teaching and an associate professor of religion and theology, noted as a point of information that, “The Catholic Church does not have a religious opposition to vaccines in general, and thus far the teaching from the Vatican has not provided any Catholic-specific religious exemption for the COVID19 vaccines.”
The results for the third option in the table above, about exemptions for those with a past prior COVID-19 infection or antibodies, are similar to the results to the test statement about whether vaccinated individuals (shown in the second table) should be free from mask mandates. There is no clear majority sentiment—something greater than 50 percent—from national respondents suggesting broad support for either policy idea. And in the case of both suggestions, more than 10 percent nationally were unsure whether to agree or disagree.
So far the evidence suggests that vaccination provides more protection than a previous infection, Kozina said. Those who have had a previous infection and then accept a vaccination are more protected than those who have only one of those attributes, she said.
About individuals who are not vaccinated
Some public policy and corporate policy questions are yet to be widely resolved in the pandemic, especially concerning treatment matters. Response to the following statements reveal public sentiment on two such issues.
| COVID statements – presented to find out whether or not people agree | National % agreeing strongly & somewhat | Florida % agreeing strongly & somewhat |
| Those who are unvaccinated should pay higher health insurance rates than those vaccinated | 52.5
(30.0 strongly; 22.5 somewhat) |
52.4
(32.8 strongly; 19.6 somewhat) |
| Those who are unvaccinated should be last in line for health care services | 41.4
(20.5 strongly; 20.9 somewhat) |
44.4
(24.2 strongly; 20.2 somewhat) |
Interestingly, in the national findings, 25.9 percent expressed strong disagreement that unvaccinated individuals should pay higher health insurance rates, which helped prevent the idea from becoming a majority viewpoint. And nearly a third, at 32.2 percent disagree strongly that those who are unvaccinated should be the “last in line for health care services.”
Still, the level of support reflected in the tables above “once again shows that the insecurity over health outcomes, and the impatience for life to return to normal, is boiling over into anger at the unvaccinated that would manifest into punitive policy,” Orlando said. “There are some countries that are already trying this approach, and it is interesting to see the level of support for it here in the United States.”
Kozina said there are other examples in American society of people who pay higher rates for coverage, such as smokers. In the case of COVID, she said, there is some “business sense” to the idea of charging the unvaccinated more to help cover the costs of vaccinations and treatments that hospitals incur. The impact of less access to hospital services for patients suffering other ills because of COVID-induced bed and staff shortages is another consideration, she pointed out. However, she said, society will need to be careful in adopting this logic fully, “as this is a slippery slope that could open the door to other forms of rationing in the future.”
Lingering ethical concern
One test statement was in a category of its own: “Regardless of my current vaccination status, it distresses me that I have heard some vaccines use fetal tissues or fetal cells.” In the national sample, 46.4 percent agreed, and in Florida, 48.4 agreed with the sentiment. Several media stories have been published about the concerns, and many cite confusion over the meanings of the terms used and at what point in development certain cells were used.
By way of explanation Kozina said that fetal tissue cell lines that have existed for 40 to 50 years were used to “test the test the efficacy of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and those cells are not part of the vaccine, so people are not injected with them.” In the case of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, “fetal tissue was used in the manufacturing stage, but again, is not contained in the vaccine itself.” By contrast, Kozina said, other commonly used medications have been developed with fetal tissue, so that may be an educational issue for some.
Associate Professor Okey, the theologian, said he understands the distress some respondents reported. He added the Catholic Church has weighed the issues and allows for use of the COVID vaccine for the good that it does, and given the remove between those receiving the vaccines and the past abortions that produced the original fetal cell lines. “If there were a vaccine that had no connection to abortion whatsoever, that would be morally preferable, but as things stand, the existing COVID-19 vaccines are morally acceptable.”
Household and budget effects
Finally, the survey took measures of where people are now in their lives in relation to COVID-19 now, by their own estimations.
Nationally, 54.7 percent agreed that, “Things are relatively back to normal or back to where they were before the pandemic.” In Florida, 61.0 agreed with that statement.
Regarding household finances, the polling institute found that 46.5 percent nationally and 50.6 percent in Florida agree that, “I will have less money to spend over the coming holidays because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
About the Poll
METHODOLOGY: This national survey was conducted from October 17, 2021, through October 23, 2021, among a base of 1,000 respondents nationally, using an online instrument. The national sample has an associated margin of error of +/- 3.0 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence for questions asked of all 1,000 respondents.
The statewide survey was also conducted during the same time period, among a base of 500 respondents, using an online instrument. The sample has an associated margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage
About the Poll
METHODOLOGY: This national survey was conducted from October 17, 2021, through October 23, 2021, among a base of 1,000 respondents nationally, using an online instrument. The national sample has an associated margin of error of +/- 3.0 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence for questions asked of all 1,000 respondents.
The statewide survey was also conducted during the same time period, among a base of 500 respondents, using an online instrument. The sample has an associated margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage
About the Poll
METHODOLOGY: This national survey was conducted from October 17, 2021, through October 23, 2021, among a base of 1,000 respondents nationally, using an online instrument. The national sample has an associated margin of error of +/- 3.0 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence for questions asked of all 1,000 respondents.
The statewide survey was also conducted during the same time period, among a base of 500 respondents, using an online instrument. The sample has an associated margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence for questions asked of all 500 respondents.
The Saint Leo University Polling Institute conducts its surveys using cutting-edge online methodology, which is rapidly transforming the field of survey research. The sample is drawn from large online panels, which allow for random selections that reflect accurate cross sections of all demographic groups. Online methodology has the additional advantage of allowing participants to respond to the survey at a time, place, and speed that is convenient to them, which may result in more thoughtful answers. The Saint Leo University Polling Institute develops the questionnaires, administers the surveys, and conducts analysis of the results. Panel participants typically receive a token incentive—usually $1 deposited into an iTunes or Amazon account—for their participation.
The Saint Leo University Polling Institute survey results about national and Florida politics, public policy issues, Pope Francis’ popularity, and other topics, can also be found here: http://polls.saintleo.edu. You can also follow the institute on Twitter @saintleopolls.
Media contacts:
Jo-Ann Johnston, Saint Leo University, University Communications jo-ann.johnston@saintleo.edu or (352) 467-0843 (cell/text).
Mary McCoy, Saint Leo University, University Writer & Media Relations, mary.mccoy02@saintleo.edu, (352) 588-7118 or cell (813) 610-8416.
About Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University is one of the largest Catholic universities in the nation, offering 57 undergraduate and graduate-level degree programs to more than 18,200 students each year. Founded in 1889 by Benedictine monks, the private, nonprofit university is known for providing a values-based education to learners of all backgrounds and ages in the liberal arts tradition. Saint Leo is regionally accredited and offers a residential campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, 16 education centers in five states, and an online program for students anywhere. The university is home to more than 98,000 alumni. Learn more at saintleo.edu.