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Three-quarters of New Yorkers say they plan to get COVID vaccine

A COVID-19 vaccine center was opened by the University of Rochester Medical Center on Jan. 15 at Manhattan Square Family Medicine on East Broad St.
Adam Fenster/URMC
A COVID-19 vaccine center was opened by the University of Rochester Medical Center on Jan. 15 at Manhattan Square Family Medicine on East Broad St.

Roughly three-quarters of New Yorkers say they have either already been vaccinated against COVID-19 or plan to do so; the remainder don't plan on getting the vaccine. 

Those are the findings of a new poll from Siena College. 

Pollster Steve Greenberg said the largest numbers of survey respondents who say they won't get vaccinated are represented among five different demographic groups:  Republicans, independents, African Americans, Latinos, and voters under the age of 35.

"I think what this shows is New York, and America, have more to do in terms of educating the people about the vaccine and doing a campaign to encourage New Yorkers and Americans to get the vaccine," Greenberg said.

During a time of deep political division, there appears to be bipartisan agreement among self-identified Democrats, Republicans, and independents on one matter - the majority of all of those groups believe the worst is yet to come with regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

"As do the majority of downstaters and upstaters," added Greenberg.

Other findings from the survey indicate that a majority of New Yorkers (54%) say the Biden Administration will have a positive impact on the state, a view shared by three-quarters of Democrats and a plurality of independents.

However, about two-thirds of Republicans said the new president would negatively affect New York.