In a new poll, just 10% of Marylanders said they disapproved of Gov. Larry Hogan’s handling of COVID-19. (Marylandgovpics/Flickr)
By Diane Bernard, Maryland News Connection
BALTIMORE, Md. — As the drive for Marylanders to get COVID-19 booster shots continues, a new poll found a huge swath of residents said they are likely to get one as soon as they can.
The poll showed 83% of vaccinated Marylanders desire the booster shots, while only 15% said they are unlikely to get one.
Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College, which conducted the survey, said there was more good news for health officials: Almost 80% of residents reported they have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
“Marylanders have embraced the vaccine,” Kromer asserted. “Maryland continues to be one of the most vaccinated states in the nation. And there’s still some very slight vaccine hesitancy: 9% say they’re not going to get the vaccine, and another 2% say they’ll only get it if required.”
With the latest approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for Johnson & Johnson and Moderna booster shots, this week Gov. Larry Hogan clarified eligibility, pointing out almost 1.4 million Marylanders can receive one. Residents can visit covidvax.maryland.gov for more information.
Kromer noted Marylanders still are worried about contracting the virus. The survey found 59% of residents who are vaccinated said they have limited spending time with unvaccinated folks, which is a little less than back in March during Goucher’s last survey.
“Fifty-nine percent is more than a majority of folks still being somewhat or very concerned,” Kromer outlined. “Underneath that 59%, Democrats express a much higher level of concern about contracting COVID-19 than Republicans.”
Marylanders are mixed on whether they will be able to return to their normal, pre-COVID lives: 29% say they expect it will take more than a year, 28% said within the next year and 15% said four to six months. The poll of 700 residents was conducted by telephone last week.
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