80 Percent of NY Physicians Plan to Get Immunized When Vaccine Is Widely Available 

For Immediate Release

 

80 Percent of NY Physicians Plan to Get Immunized When Vaccine
Is Widely Available 


November 30, 2020, Westbury, NY
—According to a survey conducted by the Medical Society of State of New York, nearly 80% of New York State’s community and hospital-based physicians plan to become immunized with the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes widely available.

Only 7.5% of physician respondents to the survey indicated that they would not receive the vaccine.

The survey also reported that three-quarters of physicians’ patients are asking about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. However, nearly 70% of physicians estimated that at least half of their patients will receive the COVID-19 vaccine once it is widely available.

When asked, nearly 70% of the physicians reported that they believe that communicating to their patients that they themselves have been immunized with the COVID-19 vaccine would be the most effective way of combatting vaccine hesitancy. Over two-thirds of responding physicians believe that having a state-wide educational campaign on the importance of being immunized against COVID-19 would be instrumental in also combatting vaccine hesitancy. Physicians also believe that another essential component is having statewide educational brochures and flyers (46.50%) that can be distributed to patients along with a prepared script on the importance of getting the vaccine with an explanation of safety (41.76%).

“This survey clearly shows that community and hospital physicians are prepared to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes widely available and that by immunizing themselves, they can send a strong message to their patients that being immunized is the best protection possible,” says MSSNY President Bonnie Litvack, MD.

Sixty-six percent of physicians stated that vaccine hesitancy is the biggest obstacle in getting New Yorkers vaccinated; 61% believe that NOT having an adequate supply of the COVID-19 vaccine could be another obstacle. Nearly 50% of responding physicians indicated that having a sufficient supply of the COVID-19 vaccine was of concern while ensuring that there is equitable access to the vaccine; 39% cited concerns about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

Along with traditional immunizers, such as the community and hospital-based physicians, the survey asked physicians about regional and local points of distribution (PODs) to administer the vaccine. Almost 65% of physicians indicated that they thought their patients would have safety concerns regarding COVID-19 spread due to the number of people that would be at a POD location and 61% thought that their patients may not be able to travel to the locations of the POD. Over 48% thought that screening for medical contraindications and who would be administering the vaccine would be of concerns to patients; 43% are concerned about language barriers.

“New York physicians stand ready and able to begin the process of immunizing New Yorkers and the Medical Society of the State of New York believes that the trust patients have in their physicians will go far in combatting vaccine hesitancy,” says MSSNY President Bonnie Litvack, MD. “Community-based physicians’ practices are located in New York’s rural, suburban, and urban areas and more often than not, those physicians speak the language of their patients, and most importantly, have the trust of their patients. As physicians, we must all work together to immunize all New Yorkers with the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We must change the course of this pandemic, and the best way to do it is through a vaccine,” says Dr. Litvack.

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.


Media Contact:
Roseann Raia
Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Ave.
Westbury, New York
516-488-6100 ext 302
rraia@mssny.org