Holidays This Year May Look Different for Families Split Over the 'Vaccine'

Sep 27, 2021

Americans are anxious to get out of the house after being locked down for so long due to COVID-19. This pent-up demand is showing at our nation’s airports, and short of the implementation of a “Vaccine Passport,” the travel trend likely will continue. But food, family and fellowship may look different during the holidays this year, according to a new survey.

The survey, conducted Sept. 17-19 by Harris Poll, shows that half of vaccinated Americans are thinking about avoiding unvaccinated family and friends during the holiday season, Forbes reported. More than 2,000 Americans, 1,454 of whom have taken the COVID shot, took part in the survey.

Of those who have taken the injection, 50% said they felt either "extremely" or "considerably" hesitant about spending the holidays with unvaccinated family members and friends, while just 38% said they are not hesitant about doing so. The remaining 12% don't have to deal with the issue since family and friends also have had the COVID shot.

Forbes reported that "a slightly larger share of 52% of vaccinated respondents said they would be very or somewhat uncomfortable to attend a holiday dinner or gathering knowing some people are unvaccinated."

Harris Poll CEO John Gerzema reflected on the societal trends the survey reveals.

"Our new data suggests the vaccine divide is not only reshaping relationships, but soon the holiday travel season," said Gerzema, who added that Americans who took the shot are "placing stricter boundaries around who they choose to spend time with. ... So expect to see cancellations and rerouted plans as vaccinated Americans avoid their unvaccinated friends and family."

Overall, those who have refused the injection often are sidelined by those who took it. Other recent polls speak to this trend.

A separate survey conducted by the same pollster found that roughly one-third of vaccinated Americans “have in some way stopped socializing with friends, family members or acquaintances because they're unvaccinated.”

Another poll found that Americans who took the shot and still cut off relationships with the “unvaccinated” since March 2020 believe their ex-friends to be “full-blown anti-vaxxers.”

Despite taking the shot, many vaccinated individuals are still leery of contracting COVID. As a result, they tend to avoid social interaction with the unvaccinated whether or not they’re family or friends—and whether or not it’s Christmas.




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SOURCES: 

Shiver, Phil. “Survey: Half of Vaccinated Americans Say They Might Not Celebrate the Holidays with Their Unvaccinated Family and Friends.” Blaze Media, September 21, 2021. https://www.theblaze.com/news/vaccinated-americans-avoid-unvaccinated-family-for-holiday-season. 

Urbanski, Dave. “Survey: 97% of Vaccinated Americans Who've Ended Friendships during COVID Pandemic View Ex-Pals as 'Full-Blown Anti-Vaxxers'.” Blaze Media, September 14, 2021. https://www.theblaze.com/news/vaccinated-end-friendships-with-unvaccinated?utm_source=revcontent. 

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