Bioterror concerns still simmering across U.S.

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Three-fifths of Americans say they would want a smallpox vaccination if it were widely available, according to an Associated Press poll that suggests continued nervousness about bioterrorism.

Last week’s discovery of a suspicious letter sent to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., may further boost public concern.

About half of the respondents say they are concerned about the threat of a smallpox attack and think last month’s anthrax attacks are the beginning of an extended campaign, according to the poll conducted by ICR of Media, Pa.

A majority of Americans indicate they would get the vaccine if it were available, even after they are informed of the possible side effects.

People are evenly split about whether the anthrax attacks are part of a long-term campaign.

The number who think the anthrax attacks are likely to continue in the coming months is 45 percent, down only slightly from the height of the anthrax scare in mid-October, according to the poll of 1,003 people taken Nov. 9-13. The poll, conducted before the discovery of the Leahy letter, has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Young adults between 18 and 34 were twice as likely as those over 65 to think the anthrax attacks are the beginning of a long terror campaign.

Some of the continuing concerns about anthrax may have to do with bad information. A quarter of the people in the poll erroneously think anthrax is contagious.

About a quarter of the public say the handling of the anthrax scare gave them more confidence in the government’s ability to protect citizens from future terrorist attacks. Almost that many say it gave them less confidence — with Democrats twice as likely as Republicans to say they had lost confidence. About half said it has not affected their confidence level.

Experts estimate that if every American were vaccinated against smallpox:

Some 400 people would die from the vaccine.

Another 250 would get a smallpox-like rash that also can be fatal if not properly treated.

About 3 in every 1 million people vaccinated would get encephalitis, which can cause permanent brain damage or death.