October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

RESULTS FROM OMNIBUS SURVEYS ON 

VACCINATION RECEIPT, INTENT, AND 

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, BELIEFS, AND 

BEHAVIORS

OCTOBER 2023
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Introduction and Methods:

Data for this analysis were collected through the Ipsos KnowledgePanel and NORC AmeriSpeak Omnibus 

Surveys. CDC uses these surveys for rapid data collection on receipt, intent, knowledge, attitudes, 

beliefs, and behaviors (KABB) related to COVID-19, influenza (flu), and other routine vaccinations. While 

coverage is typically assessed by larger surveys such as the National Immunization Survey (NIS) or the 

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), they do not have the ability to quickly add new 

questions and collect in-depth information on current topics of interest to guide the development of 

strategies and communications to increase vaccination overall and in key priority groups. The two 

vendors (Ipsos and NORC) use probability-based panels to survey a nationally representative sample of 

U.S. adults ages 18 years and older. Panel members complete the surveys online. Samples are drawn 

using an address-based sampling methodology, and data are weighted to represent the noninstitutionalized U.S. population and mitigate possible non-response bias. Each month, CDC funds 

twenty questions, in addition to demographic variables, to be fielded on two survey waves for each 

panel, for a total of four survey waves. For surveys fielded October 5-26, 2023, there were 4,130 total 

respondents across the four waves. Throughout this report, differences among groups were assessed 

using t-tests with p-values <0.05 considered statistically significant.

For additional information about Ipsos KnowledgePanel panel methodology, visit 

https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ipsosknowledgepanelmethodology.pdf.

For additional information about NORC AmeriSpeak panel methodology, visit 

https://amerispeak.norc.org/content/dam/amerispeak/research/pdf/AmeriSpeak%20Technical%20Over

view%202019%2002%2018.pdf.

How to use this report:

Each figure or table showing overall results contains a link or links to appendix figures that show more 

detailed results. Click the link to view the related detailed table. You can then hit ALT + ← to return to 

the page you were on.

Abbreviations:

BRFSS: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

IHS: Indian Health Service

KABB: knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors

NIS: National Immunization Survey

NORC: National Opinion Research Center

RSV: Respiratory syncytial virus
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Overview of Results

Receipt and intent to get fall respiratory virus vaccines among adults 18 years and older*, October 

2023

• The percent who definitely or probably will get a vaccine is significantly higher for flu compared to the 

updated COVID-19 vaccine.

Selected demographic differences in percent who will definitely or probably get a vaccine (see full figures for flu, 

RSV, and the updated COVID-19 vaccine):

• For flu and the updated COVID-19 vaccines, adults who were older, with higher incomes, with insurance, 

and with more education were more likely to be vaccinated or definitely intend to get vaccinated. Those 

living in rural areas were least likely to be vaccinated or definitely intend to get vaccinated, compared to 

those living in suburban or urban areas.

• For the updated COVID-19 vaccine, intent is lowest among those who are not confident in the safety of 

COVID-19 vaccines and those who are not concerned about COVID-19.

• For RSV vaccine, adults 65 years and older were more likely than those ages 60-64 years to be vaccinated 

or definitely intend to get vaccinated. Those with more education were also more likely to be vaccinated 

or definitely intend to be vaccinated. Adults living in rural areas were less likely to be vaccinated or 

definitely intend to get vaccinated, compared to those living in urban areas.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Receipt and intent to get updated COVID-19 vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by prior 

vaccination status, October 2023

• Coverage with the updated COVID-19 vaccine was low even among those who received a previous COVID-19 

vaccine (11.8%), and approximately 1 in 3 adults who previously got a COVID-19 vaccine are unlikely to get the 

new vaccine.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Concerns and issues about the updated COVID-19 vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by 

vaccination status and intent, October 2023

• Among those who probably will or are unsure if they will get an updated COVID-19 vaccine, the top concerns 

or issues were unknown serious side effects, effectiveness, and ‘too busy or kept forgetting.’

• Among those who probably or definitely will not get an updated COVID-19 vaccine, more than 1 in 3 were 

concerned about effectiveness, heart-related issues, unknown serious side effects, ‘not enough studies,’ or do 

not trust the government or pharmaceutical companies.

Selected demographic differences:

Age: Adults ages 65 years and older are more likely to be concerned about mild side effects than adults ages 18-64

years.

Insurance status: Uninsured adults are more likely to be concerned about cost or time issues and fertility, and also 

more likely to report being too busy than insured adults.

Urbanicity: Adults living in rural areas are most likely to be concerned about effectiveness, heart-related issues, 

unknown serious side effects, ‘not enough studies,’ and not trust the government or pharmaceutical companies. 

Race and ethnicity: White non-Hispanic adults are most likely to be concerned about effectiveness, heart-related 

issues, unknown serious side effects, ‘not enough studies,’ and not trust the government or pharmaceutical 

companies.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Concern about getting COVID-19 among adults 18 years and older, October 2023

• Overall, 72% of adults 18 years and older are only a little concerned or not at all concerned about getting 

COVID-19.

• Those who probably or definitely will not get vaccinated were most likely to report being not at all 

concerned about getting COVID-19, while those who will probably get vaccinated or are unsure were most 

likely to report being a little concerned about getting COVID-19. Patterns were similar when restricted to 

those who did not select any of the listed concerns or issues about the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Trend in concern about getting COVID-19 among adults 18 years and older, October 2022 – October 

2023

• Concern about getting COVID-19 decreased over early summer and increased in July-Sept. 2023.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Concerns and issues about flu vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by vaccination status and

intent, October 2023

• Among those who probably will or are unsure if they will get a flu vaccine, the majority reported lack of time 

or none of the listed concerns.

• Among those who probably or definitely will not get a flu vaccine, over a quarter were concerned about 

effectiveness and side effects, are not worried about flu, or do not believe they need a flu vaccine.

• 7% of those who probably will get the vaccine or are unsure cited effectiveness as a concern for flu vaccine, 

compared to 13% of this group for COVID-19 vaccine.

Selected demographic differences:

Age: Younger age groups are more likely to say they do not need a flu vaccine, and those ages 18-49 years are 

most likely to say they haven’t had time. Adults 65 years and older are least likely to say they are not worried 

about flu and least likely to be concerned about effectiveness. Adults 65 years and older are also less likely to be 

concerned about side effects than those ages 18-49 years.

Insurance status: Uninsured adults are more likely to be concerned about cost issues, though cost issues were 

reported by only 8% of uninsured adults, and more likely to say they do not need it or don’t trust the government.

Urbanicity: Adults living in rural areas are most likely to be concerned about effectiveness, and most likely to say 

they do not need it or don’t trust the government. Adults living in rural or suburban areas are more likely to say

they are not worried about flu compared to those living in urban areas.

Race and ethnicity: White non-Hispanic and Hispanic adults are more likely than other groups to say they are not 

worried about flu.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Concerns and issues about RSV vaccine among adults 60 years and older, by vaccination status and 

intent, October 2023

• Among those who probably will or are unsure if they will get an RSV vaccine, the top concern or issue was lack 

of provider recommendation.

• In addition to lack of provider recommendation, those who probably or definitely will not get an RSV vaccine 

reported ‘not worried about RSV,’ ‘vaccine is too new,’ and ‘don’t trust the government’ as top concerns or 

issues about the RSV vaccine.

Selected demographic differences:

Urbanicity: Adults living in rural areas are more likely to say they don’t trust the government than those in urban 

areas. Adults living in rural or suburban areas are more likely to say the vaccine is too new compared to those 

living in urban areas.

Race and ethnicity: White non-Hispanic are more likely than other groups to say the vaccine is too new. 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Acceptability of getting multiple vaccines during the same visit among adults 18 years and older who 

already received or said they definitely will, probably will, or are not sure if they will get at least two 

vaccines (COVID-19, flu, RSV), October 2023

• For adults ages 18-59 years, the denominator for this question includes those who responded they 

already got, definitely will get, probably will get, or are not sure if they will get both an updated COVID-19 

vaccine and flu vaccine. For adults 60 years and older, the denominator includes those who responded 

they already got, definitely will get, probably will get, or are not sure if they will get at least two 

respiratory virus vaccines (updated COVID-19 vaccine, flu vaccine, RSV vaccine).

• Overall, 2 in 3 adults who already received, definitely will get, probably will get, or are not sure if they will 

get at least two of the individual respiratory virus vaccines would be open to getting more than one 

vaccine during the same visit if offered.

• 72% of adults ages 18-59 years who already received, definitely will get, probably will get, or are not sure 

if they will get flu and COVID-19 vaccines would be open to getting an updated COVID-19 and flu vaccine 

during the same visit.

• Older adults are less likely to be open to coadministration – 61.1% of adults 60 years and older who 

already received, definitely will get, probably will get, or are not sure if they will get at least two of the 

individual vaccines would be open to getting some combination of COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines during 

the same visit.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Reasons against getting multiple vaccines in the same visit among adults ages 18-59 years who would 

not get, or are not sure if they would get, COVID-19 and flu vaccines during the same visit, October 

2023

Reasons against getting multiple vaccines in the same visit among adults 60 years and older who 

would not get, or are not sure if they would get, multiple vaccines during the same visit, October 2023

• For adults ages 18-59 years, the denominator for this question includes those who responded they 

already got, definitely will get, probably will get, or are not sure if they will get both an updated COVID-19 

vaccine and flu vaccine, but would not get them in the same visit. For adults 60 years and older, the 

denominator includes those who responded they already got, definitely will get, probably will get, or are 

not sure if they will get at least two respiratory virus vaccines (updated COVID-19 vaccine, flu vaccine, RSV 

vaccine) but would not get them in the same visit.

• The top reason among all adult age groups against getting multiple vaccines during the same visit is the 

potential for having more side effects.

• Adults 60 years and older are more likely than adults ages 18-59 years to be concerned about safety and 

not being able to tell apart reactions to each vaccine.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

• The percent of adults 60 years and older who indicated side effects or safety concerns as a major reason 

against getting multiple vaccines during the same visit increased significantly since August (surveys fielded

August 10-28, 2023), from 51.8% to 61.6% and 40% to 48.2%, respectively.

• There were no significant differences in reasons against getting 2 or more vaccines during the same visit 

by age group, race and ethnicity, insurance status, or urbanicity.

How safe do you think a [flu, COVID-19] vaccine is for you? October 2023 results among adults 18 

years and older.

• Analysis was limited to those who responded to vaccine confidence questions about both COVID-19 and 

flu vaccines.

• Confidence in vaccine safety is higher for flu than for COVID-19 vaccine.

Selected demographic differences in percent responding a vaccine is completely/very safe (see full figures for 

COVID-19 and flu):

• Adults 65 years and older are more confident in vaccine safety than other groups for both vaccines.

• Confidence in vaccine safety increased with education and income.

• Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic adults are less confident in the safety of flu vaccines compared to White 

and other non-Hispanic adults. Other non-Hispanic adults are most confident in COVID-19 vaccine safety. 

• Those living in rural areas are less confident in the safety of flu and COVID-19 vaccines than those living in 

urban and suburban areas. 

• Those living in the South were less confident in safety of both vaccines than those living in the Northeast 

and West.

• Uninsured respondents were less confident in safety of both vaccines than those with insurance.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Percent of respondents who answered vaccine is completely safe or very safe among adults 18 years 

and older, February-October 2023

• Confidence in safety of COVID-19 vaccines has decreased slightly since August 2023.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Receipt of recommendation for updated COVID-19 vaccine among adults 18 years and older, October 

2023

• The denominator for ‘Source of recommendation’ is all respondents who answered the question. The 

denominator for ‘Mode of recommendation’ is all respondents who reported receiving a recommendation

(and answered the mode question).

• About 30% of adults 18 years and older received a recommendation for the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

• 18.2% reported they received a recommendation from a healthcare provider or provider office, and 11.9% 

reported receiving one from a pharmacist or pharmacy.

• Over half of those who reported receiving a recommendation got one in person.

Vaccination status by receipt and mode of recommendation for updated COVID-19 vaccine among 

adults 18 years and older, October 2023

• Adults 18 years and older who received a recommendation were more likely to report receipt of the updated 

COVID-19 vaccine.

• Of those who received a recommendation, whether or not it was in person does not seem to have an effect on 

vaccination uptake.

• Only 1 in 5 adults who received a recommendation reported receiving the vaccine.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Bridge Access Program

CDC’s Bridge Access Program provides free COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and 

adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs. We included three questions on the 

October 2023 survey to assess awareness of the program and how to get a free COVID-19 vaccine.

Question: Have you heard about the COVID-19 Bridge Access Program? This program provides free 

updated COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not 

cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs. October 2023 results among adults 18 years and older, by insurance 

status, age group, and urbanicity.

• 15.4% of all adults 18 years and older, and 18% of uninsured adults, have heard of the Bridge Access Program.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Question: How did you hear about the COVID-19 Bridge Access program? Please select ALL that apply.

October 2023 results among adults 18 years and older who reported that they had heard of the 

program, by insurance status.

• About 1 in 3 adults 18 years and older who had heard about the Bridge Access Program heard about it from 

the news (the most common source).

• Uninsured adults may be more likely than insured adults to hear about the Bridge Access Program from a 

pharmacy, but sample size is too small to be a statistically significant difference.

Question: How did you hear about the COVID-19 Bridge Access program? Please select ALL that apply.

October 2023 results among adults 18 year and older who heard of the program, by age group.

• Adults 65 years and older were more likely than younger adults to report hearing about the program from 

a TV ad.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Overview

Question: Do you know how to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine for free? October 2023 results 

among adults 18 years and older, by insurance status, age group, and urbanicity.

• 71.1% of all adults 18 years and older said they know how to get a free COVID-19 vaccine.

• Less than half of uninsured adults said they know how to get a free COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 

almost 3 in 4 insured adults.

• Among uninsured adults, those 40 years and older were more likely to know how to get a free COVID-19 

vaccine than those ages 18-39 years.

• Among all adults who had heard about the Bridge Access Program, 91.1% said they know how to get a 

free vaccine.
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

Flu vaccine receipt and intent among adults 18 years and older, by demographics, October 2023 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

Updated COVID-19 vaccine receipt and intent among adults 18 years and older, by demographics, 

October 2023 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

RSV vaccine receipt and intent among adults 60 year and older, by demographics, October 2023 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

Concerns and issues about the updated COVID-19 vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by age group, 

October 2023 

Concerns and issues about the updated COVID-19 vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by insurance 

status, October 2023 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

Concerns and issues about the updated COVID-19 vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by urbanicity, 

October 2023 

Concerns and issues about the updated COVID-19 vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by race and 

ethnicity, October 2023 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

Concerns and issues about the flu vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by age group, October 2023 

Concerns and issues about the flu vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by insurance status, October 

2023 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

Concerns and issues about the flu vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by urbanicity, October 2023 

Concerns and issues about the flu vaccine among adults 18 years and older, by race and ethnicity, 

October 2023 

 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

Concerns and issues about the RSV vaccine among adults 60 years and older, by urbanicity, October 2023 

 

 

Concerns and issues about the RSV vaccine among adults 60 years and older, by race and ethnicity, 

October 2023 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

How safe do you think a COVID-19 vaccine is for you? October 2023 results among adults 18 years and 

older, by demographics 
October 2023 Omnibus Surveys on Vaccination Receipt, Intent, Knowledge, and KABB – Detailed Figures

How safe do you think a flu vaccine is for you? October 2023 results among adults 18 years and older, by 

demographics