Did you know that over 86% of adults in the U.S. have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, including a majority of Republicans? If you weren’t aware of these facts, you’re not alone. I asked Twitter, and the vast majority of respondents got it wrong.
Pop Quiz: What percentage of adults in the U.S. have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine?
— BeyondYourBubble (@BYBdialogue) January 12, 2022
Source: https://t.co/8xgTpHNVUl
Almost everyone guessed 72% or 63%, considerably lower than the actual rates. I had provided a link to the CDC website that reports these statistics, so this was an open book quiz! Why are so many people underestimating vaccination rates?
Non-polarizing data tend to be overlooked in a media environment that thrives on controversy and divisiveness. Social media posts that communicate negativity toward people on “the other side” are more likely to be shared than those that focus on the issues or that reflect grace across political disagreement. Given the limited narratives of media and social media, I appreciate AllSides for publishing this piece I wrote to highlight information about vaccine rates that can help to bring us together and support public health.
