Two in five (38%) are confident that the Government will hit its target to offer vaccination slots to all of the top four priority groups by the 15 February, according to a new poll by Savanta ComRes.
The poll, in which 38% are confident that the Government will hit its target and a quarter (27%) are unconfident, shows a shift in public opinion from last week when 35% said they were confident and 31% said they were not.
However, data from Savanta’s Coronavirus Tracker shows that 54% think that the Government are not doing enough to support the NHS, the joint-highest figure since tracking began.
And despite increased confidence in the Government’s ability to deliver the vaccine to priority groups, there has been no change in keenness for the vaccine, with two thirds (64%) saying they’re keen to receive the jab, up just 1pt from last week, and 14% reluctant, also unchanged from previous polling.
Elsewhere in the poll, almost half (49%) of UK adults say that the penalties for those who break lockdown rules are too soft, almost twice as many (28%) as those who say that the penalties are about right. Just 15% say that the current penalties are too tough.
Similarly, almost half (48%) say that the current penalties are poorly enforced, compared to just 14% who say they’re well enforced.
And while the public may remain supportive of lockdowns and show a desire to see the rules tightened and better-enforced, Savanta’s Coronavirus Tracker shows a further increase in those who say that their mental health has gotten worse over the course of the pandemic, up 7pts from 34% before Christmas to 41% in the last week.
Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta ComRes said, “A modest increase in the number of those who are confident in the Government hitting their vaccination target will be welcome news to the Government, especially considering that vaccine-focused headlines seem to be the only source of positive news related to the pandemic.
“But while the vaccine rollout seems to be considered a success so far, the Government may come under increased pressure elsewhere – especially within their own party – to ease restrictions. However, while large swathes of the public do not think the penalties for those who break the current rules are strong enough, nor well enforced by authorities, there may be a sense that easing restrictions that are already adhered to poorly would be a bad idea, and the Government should remember that the public are still, on the whole, supportive of the lockdown.”
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