70% of NL residents willing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus

71 percent of Netherlands residents are willing to et vaccinated if a properly working vaccine against the coronavirus becomes available, according to a survey Ipsos did among a representative group of over a thousand Dutch on behalf of Nieuwsuur. 13 percent said they won't get vaccinated, and 16 percent said they're not sure yet.

Doubts about safety and the effectiveness of the vaccine, and fear of side effects were the main reasons for the those who said they wouldn't get vaccinated. Among people who are negative about vaccinations in general, 87 percent said they wouldn't get a coronavirus vaccine.

Women are less willing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus at 64 percent than men at 77 percent. People with lower levels of education are slightly more likely to have doubts about a vaccine than highly educated people. People who voted for far-right parties PVV and FvD were much less willing to get vaccinated than others.

At 71 percent willing to get vaccinated, the Netherlands is average internationally. Professor Debbie van Baarle, an expert on immune mechanisms associated with public health institute RIVM, told Nieuwsuur that 71 percent is "actually very positive". She compared it to the flu shot - about 60 percent of people invited to get a flu shot actually get the shot.

But whether 71 percent is enough for herd immunity against the coronavirus, is difficult to say, Van Baarle said. "There are a number of factors that we have to consider with regards to what the percentage should be. How does the virus behave, how contagious is it when the vaccine is available? And the effectiveness of the vaccine, also in different target groups."