Report delves into how parents, teachers, and principals view the vaccine 2021-06-16 A new report about investigating how parents, teachers, and principals view the COVID-19 vaccine finds that nearly one fifth of parents are vaccine hesitant while another one-fifths are undecided about the COVID-19 vaccine. The study also found that over 80% of teachers and principals had already received, or planned to get, the COVID-19 vaccine when it was their turn. The study was based on surveys conducted with 1,842 teachers, 4,039 parents of K-12 students, and 576 K-12 principals and vice principals between March 2 and April 15, 2021. Some of the key findings of the report include: Parents Although most reported being vaccinated, 20% of parents are vaccine hesitant and 19% are undecided about COVID-19 vaccination. While most parents agreed that a COVID-19 vaccine reduces the “risk of getting sick” and is important for “people at higher-risk”, some questioned its effectiveness Almost 50% of parents reported that they would be more comfortable with their child attending in-person school once teachers and staff are vaccinated. Among parents of school-age children, the following characteristics were independently associated with being vaccine hesitant: non-Hispanic Black, under the age of 40, and household income < $50k. Parents unwilling to have their child tested regularly for COVID-19 at school for in-person learning had 8 times greater odds of being vaccine hesitant than those in favor of testing. Teachers Most teachers (82%) reported that they have already received a COVID-19 vaccine or planned to get it when it is their turn. Nearly half of teachers believed that COVID-19 vaccination does not prevent them from potentially spreading the virus to others.1 Almost 75% of teachers would feel comfortable returning to teach in-person once vaccinated. • Female teachers and teachers living in the Southern region of the U.S. had 2-3 times greater odds of being vaccine hesitant than their peers Principals Nearly all principals (89%) reported that they had already received a COVID-19 vaccine or planned to when it was their turn. Over 50% of principals reported they would be comfortable with children attending in-person school when many of the school district’s teachers and staff are vaccinated. Some principals reported that they didn’t feel COVID-19 vaccination prevents them from potentially spreading the virus to others. A one-page summary of the report can be found here.