Are Canadian Authorities Exaggerating About Avian Flu?

by Dem FromCT

This is a quintessential Canadian question  (American authorities can't be exaggerating about something they barely talk about. The American thing to do is exaggerate about WMD or conservative dominance in the political arena). The issue popped up on one of those reguarly scheduled opinion polls:

Most Canadians have taken note of escalating warnings of the threat of a flu pandemic, but they don't feel the avian influenza virus ravaging parts of Southeast Asia represents a real danger to them, a poll suggests.

Furthermore, 36 per cent of respondents feel authorities are exaggerating the level of the risk in order to encourage people to take precautions. And nearly 60 per cent of those polled say they either are not very worried or not at all concerned the avian flu could threaten their health or the health of their families.

The responses were made available to The Canadian Press after being gathered as part of Decima Research Inc.'s regular national omnibus public opinion poll.

[Polling company] Decima CEO Bruce Anderson says the data show a solid portion of Canadians -- two-thirds -- have the issue on their radar, but they are withholding judgment on how real the threat actually is.

Well, at least they're paying attention. Effect Measure, the public health blog following this issue, also highlights the Canadian-U.S. difference:

In one respect Canadians are way ahead of Americans. [ American risk communication expert Peter] Sandman nails the reason:

"At least most Canadians know that the Canadian authorities are worried about the pandemic possibility. Most of the U.S. public still thinks bird flu is a Southeast Asian problem. They haven't quite reached the stage of doubting their government's warnings; they're not yet hearing the warnings."

But the warnings are there, nonetheless. Well, it looks like it'll be up to the popular press to warn the people. The US is too focused on bioterrism to pay attention to reality. At last, something suited for cable TV's level of incompetence and repetition.

Oh, and btw, the Canadians are not exaggerating.

Comments

[Karmakin]

Nobody's going to get upset about this in Canada. Most people will just think, the government is just being better safe than sorry. 2/3rds reseveing judgement? That's usually how it works.

[DemFromCT]

i'd love to get to that point in the States. The Canadians are very sensible, and have the Toronto SARS experience to put it in perspective. But whatever their experience, the downside of a worst-case bird flu pandemic is worse.

The US is not doing enough. Canada is doing what it can, including stockpiling relenza and tamiflu and other anti-flu meds. Another major difference between the countries.

[emptypockets]

start suggesting that avian flu is a terrorist-engineered weapon or otherwise manufactured virus (as WBAI here in NY seems to be suggesting right now) and I bet the US snooze media will perk up.