About half of Americans believe that the COVID-19 vaccines have caused side effects that have contributed to a significant number of unexplained deaths, according to a new survey.
The survey by Rasmussen Reports, which was conducted from Dec. 28 to 30, found 49 percent of American Adults believe it’s likely that side effects of COVID-19 vaccines have caused a significant number of unexplained deaths, including 28 percent who considered it “very likely.”
Another 37 percent of respondents didn’t say that a significant number of deaths could be attributed to the vaccines, including 17 percent who said it’s “not at all likely” that vaccine side effects have caused deaths. Another 14 percent of respondents were unsure whether COVID vaccine side effects have caused significant deaths.
The distrust of the vaccines was strong across party lines. According to Rasmussen Reports, 51 percent of Democrat respondents believed it was likely that vaccine side effects caused significant numbers of deaths, compared to 56 percent of Republican respondents and 42 percent of independents.
The survey also asked respondents whether they believe someone they know has died as a result of vaccine-related side effects. 28 percent of respondents said they personally know someone who they think may have died as a result of vaccine side effects. 61 percent did not believe they knew anyone who had died as a result of vaccine side effects, while another 10 percent were unsure.
The survey also found 48 percent of respondents who believed there are legitimate reasons to be concerned about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. 37 percent of respondents believe the people who worry about vaccine safety are spreading conspiracy theories. 15 percent of respondents were unsure either way.
Rasmussen Reports indicated they have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points, with a 95 percent confidence level for the poll results.
The poll comes after the release of a documentary called “Died Suddenly,” which shared claims about side effects from the COVID-19 vaccines, including allegations of deadly bloodclots and spikes in miscarriages.
The U.S. military previously required service members to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, with few exceptions. As part of the new defense budget, the military-wide vaccine policy was set to end, however there has been some reported confusion about whether National Guard and Ready Reserve troops may still be subject to a separate COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
