Russia’s first COVID-19 vaccine

What do Britons think about it?

Russia’s announcement of its first coronavirus vaccine earlier this month met with a lot of controversy and speculations, especially from the global scientific community. This report delves into the views of ordinary Britons as they continue to witness the devastating consequences of the pandemic. Drug manufacturers, as well as government agencies, can leverage this data in their decision making.

Almost nine months into the Covid-19 outbreak, Russia has become the first country to approve the first coronavirus vaccine, ‘Sputnik V,’ putting it in the lead in the global vaccine race. However, skepticism regarding its safety and effectiveness continues to abound, even as other governments rush to meet the demand. With the UK desperate to get back to ‘normal’ amid the pandemic, how trusting are Britons of Russia’s ‘superfast’ vaccine? Piplsay polled 70000 people nationwide to get these insights. Here’s a summary of what we found:

Other Insights

• More men (55%) are keen to believe in Russia’s vaccine success as compared to women (45%)
• 84% of Baby boomers and 72% of Gen Xers do not trust Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine as of now
• 47% of Millennials and 41% of Gen Xers fear Russia’s lead may force countries to bypass due processes
• 52% of women are not interested in getting a COVID-19 vaccine as compared to 48% of men

Survey Methodology: This Piplsay survey (powered by Market Cube) was conducted nationwide in the UK from August 20-21, 2020. We received 7000 online responses from individuals aged 18 years and older.