Survey Shows Declines in Perceived Safety of MMR and Flu Vaccines

In a survey of 1,637 adults, the majority described the MMR, influenza, and COVID-19 vaccines as safe, but perceived safety has trended downward in recent years.

According to the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center, 83% of U.S. adults said the MMR vaccine is safe, 80% said the flu vaccine is safe, and 65% said the COVID-19 vaccine is safe.

Compared to survey findings in November 2024, there is a small but statistically significant decreases for two vaccines; perceived safety for the MMR vaccine is down from 86% in 2024, and perceived safety for the influenza vaccine is down from 83% in 2024.

Over the same time period, there was no statistically significant change in perceived safety for the COVID-19 vaccine.