COVID-19: empirical study on vaccine skeptics and strategies to increase the take-up of COVID-19 vaccines

13.7 million new vaccine opponents since pandemic onset;

• skepticism mostly exacerbated by fears of long-term damage and fast vaccine approval processes, correlates with corona virus denial;
• 90% of skeptics feel they have no influence over politics, are predominantly AfD-leaning and about 45% attained the lowest level or left secondary school without certification;
• while new skeptics could be convinced by facts, long-term anti-vaccinationists appear to be unyielding.