Most Bay Staters eligible for the coronavirus vaccine are vaccinated, but they support people’s right to not get the vaccine in many circumstances, a recent poll shows.
Emerson College conducted a poll commissioned by the Coalition for Parental Choice called “Massachusetts Public Opinion Survey of Vaccination Attitudes.” It showed support for parental rights and exemptions when it comes to getting vaccinated in the Bay State.
Some of the poll’s major findings include broad support for both medical and religious exemptions when it comes to coronavirus vaccine mandates in the state.
It showed that 72 percent of Bay Staters think there should be medical exemptions for vaccines for high-risk patients while only 8 percent disagreed. Meanwhile, there was strong support for rejecting a vaccination based on religious beliefs. While 56 percent said they agreed that people have that right, 30 percent disagreed.
And when it comes to parental rights, the poll showed that Bay Staters don’t want schools vaccinating children as young as 5 years old without their consent. Only 22 percent supported that idea while 58 percent opposed and 20 percent said they were unsure.
Thus far, coronavirus vaccines have emergency-use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for children ages 12 and older.
The poll also showed that 60 percent oppose allowing a doctor to administer a vaccine to a child without receiving consent from a parent while only 28 percent approve of that idea.
The poll showed that 67 percent believe that parents have the right to decide whether or not to vaccinate their children. Only 22 percent of respondents disagreed with that statement. Of the supporters, 47 percent of the respondents said that they strongly support letting parents decide.
A press release from Coalition for Parental Choice included thoughts from two Massachusetts parents on the matter who were pleased with the outcome of the survey.
The poll asked 600 Bay Staters various coronavirus vaccine-related questions between July 21 to July 25.
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