According to the survey, 29 percent of Upper Austrians over the age of 16 have not yet been vaccinated against Corona. Of these, 22 percent are not interested in a vaccination, seven percent are. Of the unvaccinated people who are not interested in being vaccinated, 60 percent are women and 40 percent are men. Women under 50 are particularly skeptical. As can be seen from the survey data, the fear of impairment of fertility also plays a role here – although experts emphasize that there is no evidence of such impairment.
When asked about the reasons for refusing the vaccination, number one with 92 percent was that the virus could be passed on despite vaccination. 91 percent agree with the statement that you can still get sick. Here, however, experts point to the high effectiveness of the vaccination in preventing severe disease and death. According to current knowledge, vaccinated people are also likely to be significantly less contagious.
89 percent say the vaccines are not adequately tested. As an explanation for the rapid development, experts state, among other things, that there has been research in this area before and that all science has concentrated on this project.
The state now wants to push company vaccinations and, together with doctors, especially gynecologists, and universities of teacher education, intensify and roll out information campaigns in a targeted manner, as Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander (VP) announced.
In absolute numbers, the 22 percent of those who refuse to be vaccinated are around 270,000 people over the age of 16. In the IMAS survey, however, 68 percent of those questioned said they had already been vaccinated – although it is actually 66 percent. This can increase the number to 300,000. Including those who did not provide any information in the survey, there are around 340,000 people who need to be reached from the country’s point of view. Migrants whose language barriers were too high were not included in the survey.
