Vaccination Policy and Mandates

Participants expressed a clear preference for being able to choose among available COVID-19 vaccines, a choice that was unavailable early in the campaign. Framing vaccination as an informed personal decision is more likely to improve uptake than mandatory or ambiguously coercive approaches. The proposed mandate was associated with reduced willingness to accept vaccines beyond COVID-19 vaccines. Participants interpreted mandatory vaccination as a threat to personal autonomy. The proposed mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for healthcare workers was viewed very negatively. Conflicting signals between national voluntary guidance and state-level de facto requirements amplified hesitancy. There was strong consensus among participants that vaccination should remain voluntary for the general public. Mandatory vaccination was considered acceptable only for healthcare workers, not for the broader population.