Though there have been cases of Zika diagnosed here in the US, the potential of mosquitoes carrying the disease here is still somewhat of a mystery. In mid-February, I decided to ask U.S. adults about the general concern of this virus. Often we hear about viral outbreaks on the news but I hypothesize there can be a disconnect if it has not yet arrived in one’s own country. So, who’s taking the Zika virus seriously when it comes to its potential of arriving in the US?
Top line results: Of the over 3,300 adults asked, 51% of respondents are somewhat concerned about the Zika virus coming to the U.S. Runner up: 29% are not at all concerned and 20% of respondents are very concerned.
Women are 16% more likely to answer very concerned and people who live in the US South are less likely to answer not at all concerned. Those who are very concerned are 28% more likely to have received a flu shot this year.
Does where you get your news impact your concern? Comparing to the results showed me that those who are very concerned about Zika are twice as likely to go to a local news website for breaking news than those who are not at all concerned about this issue, and those who are not at all concerned are 2.5X more likely to get their breaking news from a national news website than those who are very concerned.
Though women are more likely to be very or somewhat concerned there are some concerned men, but they are definitely in the minority.
So, what about the 29% of folks who are not at all concerned about this virus coming to America? 62% of them are males who are likely to live in the suburbs, and they are also more likely to not have any children.
Who would cancel travel plans to Zika-stricken countries? This is a major concern for the upcoming Rio Olympics.
Looking at the topline results weighted by U.S. adults, 64% don’t want to take the risk and say they would cancel a trip due to the Zika virus. Not surprisingly, Women are more likely to cancel their plans.
Which age group is more likely to still travel? Respondents aged 35-44 are 17% more likely than the average adult to not cancel their trip. Grandparents and parents are more likely to say no to any travel if the Zika virus is an element of their trip location.
How concerned are you about the Zika virus? Would you cancel a trip to a Zika-stricken country? As this story evolves, especially as we get closer to the Rio Olympics, we’ll keep you posted on our respondents’ takes.
