Americans'-Flu-Opinions

Americans have begun to lose confidence in the government’s ability to control the spread of the H1N1 flu and blame drug companies for the shortages of swine flu vaccines, according to polls released early this week.

According to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll released on Monday, Americans have grown increasingly frustrated with shortages of H1N1 flu vaccines, and put the most blame on drug companies.  The poll found that only 5% of poll respondents have received that vaccine since October.

The percentages are not too far apart in blame to drug companies and the federal government, however.  Fifty-eight percent of respondents placed a great or moderate amount of blame on the federal government, and 62% blame drug companies.

Results were based on telephone interviews with a national sample of approximately 1,500 adults.  The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percent, and 6 percent for parents responding to questions for their children.

The poll also found that 17% of adults could not get vaccinated, even though they tried.  Around 19% of adults did not bother to try because they did not believe the vaccine was available. Antoher 30% did not believe they needed an H1N1 flu shot.

In another poll released by CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, 51% of Americans were confident in the government’s ability to provide vaccination shots for everyone who wants it.  Fourty-nine percent were not confident.  The number confident has dropped by 8 percent since August.

The study found that most opinions were near the 50 percentage range, including approval of President Obama’s handling and confidence in the government and private industry’s ability to provide vaccines.  However, only 1 in 10 respondents were “very confident” that the government could ward off an epidemic of H1N1.  The CNN survey polled 1,018 adult Americans.