Americans support vaccines but don't think the shots apply to them

Most U.S. adults are pro-vaccine in theory — but a striking new survey reveals they're not connecting that support to their own health decisions. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) surveyed more than 1,200 adults and found that while 71% agree vaccine benefits outweigh risks and 89% say vaccines should be available to anyone who wants them, only 48% actually tried to get a flu, COVID-19, RSV, or pneumococcal vaccine in the past year.

The disconnect is largely one of awareness. Nearly half of adults don't know the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for them, and 28% are unsure or dismissive about flu vaccine recommendations applying to their own situation. Adults also dramatically underestimate the burden of respiratory illness — only 11% correctly estimated flu hospitalizations during the record-breaking 2024–2025 season. About 20% also reported access barriers such as out-of-stock vaccines or being bounced between pharmacies and doctor's offices.

To address this, NFID launched the National Respiratory Communications Initiative and its "Tame It" campaign, which revives graphics from the CDC's now-defunct "Wild to Mild" flu campaign (shuttered in early 2025) and provides resources for families and healthcare providers.

By the Numbers:

• 71% of adults agree vaccine benefits outweigh risks
• 49% don't know or don't believe the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for them
• Only 48% attempted to get any recommended respiratory vaccine last year
• ~20% reported access barriers such as out-of-stock vaccines or referral runarounds
• 710,000 flu-related hospitalizations were estimated by the CDC in 2024–2025 — but only 11% of respondents guessed correctly

Why it matters: Vaccine hesitancy isn't the only barrier to protection — confusion about who vaccines are for is just as significant. Closing this knowledge gap, especially as another respiratory season begins, could meaningfully reduce hospitalizations and deaths.