Nearly 45% of Bulgarians Will Not Have Vaccine

45% of Bulgarians will not be vaccinated against COVID-19, show the results of the regular quarterly national-representative survey of Alpha Research Agency, conducted between 11 and 18 December 2020. 40% prefer to wait and make a decision depending on the effect on the vaccinated. If these 40 per cent change their mind, they, along with the 15% of hard-core supporters of immunization, we have a chance of reaching about 55-60 % of the inoculated population.

The proportions of the supporters of the two opposing views are equal: the pandemic is naturally occurring like many others before it (43%), the pandemic is artificially induced (also a total of 43%). The suspicions of malicious human interference are focused on big global corporations raking huge profits from pandemic (25%) and to a lesser extent - geopolitical interests are blamed and the aspiration to control the population (18%). The conspiracy theories appeal to the youngest, and the thesis of the natural origin of the pandemic support people with higher incomes living in bigger cities.

Nearly two-thirds of Bulgarians say that so far neither they nor members of their family have exhibited symptoms of the infection. Based on people's assessment of morbidity in their families, a total of 13% or approximately 670,000 people (mostly 31 - 50 year old residents of major cities) have gone through the coronavirus. This is three times higher than the cases officially confirmed with PCR test, which as a general picture is indicative of the challenges before controlling the spread of the virus in the country.