Just over one year since the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, a new World Economic Forum (WEF)/Ipsos survey found notable increases in people’s intention to take a Covid-19 vaccination, with a majority wanting to be vaccinated as soon as possible.

Adults who strongly or somewhat agree they would get a vaccine against Covid-19 make up a majority in all but one of the 15 countries surveyed.

Over 13 500 adults under the age of 75 participated in the survey between February 25 and 28, on Ipsos’ Global Advisor online platform.

WEF health and healthcare head Arnaud Bernaert says these trends are good, but that because new Covid-19 variants are more contagious and with vaccination intention rates as they are currently reflected in the study, the world would not reach herd immunity.

“Experts suggest between 70% and 85% of a population should be vaccinated for herd immunity to be achieved,” he says, adding that communication and education efforts are more critical than ever.

“We are on track, but should not relax our efforts.”

On a country-by-country basis, 89% of Brazilians said they were confident of the vaccine, while 85% of Italians were confident. China and Spain were positioned at 82%, while Mexico and South Korea were at 80% confidence levels.

The numbers were lower in Canada with 79%, 78% in Australia; while Japan and Germany were both at 74% of those surveyed.

The US and South Africa recorded 65%, France 59% and Russia 42%.

Breaking down the data further, the percentage of those who answered “strongly agree” that they would get the vaccine has increased in every one of the 15 countries since a similar survey was conducted in December.

Since then, within this “strongly agree” category, eight of the 15 countries saw an uptick in vaccine intent of more than 20 percentage points. As such, Italy was up 36 percentage points to 62% who strongly agree, while Spain was up 31 points to 57%. The UK also inched up 24 percentage points, to 70%; while Brazil was up 24 points, to 76%.

France was at 35%, Mexico 64%, Canada 60% and Germany 51%.

The countries showing the smallest gains are Russia, which only increased by two percentage points, to 16%; and the US, up by three points, to 41%.

In 11 of the 15 countries surveyed, most plan to get the vaccine immediately or within one month once it is available to them. As such, 85% of Brazilians and people in the UK said they were keen to receive the vaccine as soon as possible, while Mexico reflected 78%, Spain 73%, and Germany and Italy 72%.

These figures dropped into the sixties for four countries, with Canada reflecting 69%, both France and the US reflecting 67%, and South Africa showing 64%.

Fifty-eight percent of Australians were eager to get the vaccine as soon as possible, while fewer than half in Japan (49%) were, 43% in China, 35% in Russia, and 31% in South Korea.