Most Americans view ‘religious’ COVID vaccine exemption claims as bogus, study finds

Slightly more than two-thirds of American adults surveyed say those invoking a “religious exemption” to COVID-19 vaccine mandates are making dubious claims, a new survey revealed Thursday, but an almost equal number say the objectors should keep their jobs.

The March 7-13 survey, conducted by the District-based Pew Research Center, also found a larger majority of Democratic Party members/supporters — 72% — say those claiming faith-based objections to the COVID-19 vaccine are faking it. The poll found an identical number of religiously unaffiliated Americans — self-identifying as atheists, agnostics, or “nothing in particular” — said the same thing.

But just 55% of those who are either Republicans or lean towards the GOP dismiss the religious objection claim, followed by 52% of white evangelicals who say the same. A little more than four-in-ten Republicans — 42% — say such faith-based exemption claims are genuine.

On the subject of keeping one’s job while objecting to the vaccine, Pew found 82% of Republicans are in favor, but just 52% of Democrats agree. Those numbers closely track results from white evangelicals (82%) and the unaffiliated (54%) on the same question.

The poll results come days after a federal district court judge in Texas expanded the class of Navy service members who could participate in a lawsuit challenging the Defense Department’s vaccine mandate on religious grounds. The injunction issued by Judge Reed O’Connor, a George W. Bush appointee, blocks the Navy from requiring the vaccine, but allows the service to make assignment decisions based on vaccination status, following a Supreme Court ruling.

A total of 10,441 adults participated in the survey, Pew said, which has a margin of sampling error of +/- 1.5 percentage points.

For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.