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Most Americans Undisturbed by Bird Flu Problems
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States are not concerned about avian influenza, according to a poll by International Communications Research for the Harvard School of Public Health. 78 per cent of respondents say they are not worried at all about getting sick from the bird flu during the next 12 months.
Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in several countries around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the virus could mutate into a form that can be transmitted among people.
Last November, U.S. president George W. Bush outlined the federal government's plan to deal with a possible outbreak of pandemic influenza, saying, "Our strategy is designed to meet three critical goals: First, we must detect outbreaks that occur anywhere in the world; second, we must protect the American people by stockpiling vaccines and antiviral drugs, and improve our ability to rapidly produce new vaccines against a pandemic strain; and, third, we must be ready to respond at the federal, state and local levels in the event that a pandemic reaches our shores."
As part of the proposal, Bush has asked Congress to authorize $1.2 billion U.S. to purchase enough doses to vaccinate 20 million people. 53 per cent of respondents believe the news media has reported the bird flu problems in an adequate fashion, while 27 per cent believe it is exaggerating the dangers.
Polling Data
Are you worried that you or someone in your immediate family may get sick from the Avian Flu during the next 12 months, or aren't you concerned about that? (If worried, ask) How worried are you about that? Are you very worried, somewhat worried, or not very worried?
Very worried | 4% |
Somewhat worried | 13% |
Not very worried | 3% |
Not worried at all | 78% |
Don't know | 1% |
Do you think the news media are exaggerating the dangers of the avian or bird flu, not taking the dangers seriously enough, or are the news reports about right?
Exaggerating the dangers | 27% |
Not taking the dangers seriously enough | 11% |
About right | 53% |
Don't know | 10% |
Source: International Communications Research / Harvard School of Public Health
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,043 American adults, conducted from Jan. 17 to Jan. 25, 2006. Margin of error is 3.3 per cent.
