A survey fielded weeks after the 2024 US presidential election suggests that most Americans supported current government-backed vaccination programs and school immunization requirements before the second Trump administration rapidly began reshaping federal vaccine policy. The findings appeared in a JAMA Health Forum research letter published late last week.
The survey was conducted from November 21 to 25, 2024, among a nationally representative sample of 964 US voters to identify the issues that mattered most to them in the fall presidential election.
Only 3% of respondents named vaccines, including 1.5% of Donald Trump voters and 4.4% of Kamala Harris voters, indicating that vaccine policy had little influence on vote choice. Inflation, immigration, democracy, abortion, and health care dominated voter concerns.
Strong support for government vaccine role
Even with vaccines low on the priority list for many voters, most (76% overall; 59% of Trump voters and 90% of Harris voters) favored the government continuing to ensure that vaccines are safe and effective. More than a third of Trump voters opposed a government role in supporting safe and effective vaccines.
The survey also found limited support for rolling back school vaccination mandates. Just 19% of all voters favored removing requirements, with sharply differing views by political affiliation: 33% of Trump voters supported eliminating mandates, compared with 7% of Harris voters. Support for ending school requirements was highest among respondents with less than a high school education.
Public may not align with recent federal actions
The authors note that the survey was completed before the new administration began implementing sweeping changes to vaccine communications, advisory committees, and recommendations.
While the study could not measure public reaction to specific policy shifts, the results suggest that many Americans may not support significant departures from longstanding vaccine policy. The authors point to a September 2025 Reuters/Ipsos poll in which only 24% of respondents said they believed that the administration’s vaccine actions were grounded in science.
The researchers say it is unclear whether vaccines will become more salient for voters if the administration continues making changes to current policy.
