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Oct. 26, 2006 - A large majority of Americans would comply with government orders to avoid work, school, or other public places in the event of a flu pandemic, according to a survey released Thursday.
The results suggest public health officials could easily convince most people to temporarily alter their daily lives in a bid to stem the spread of influenzainfluenza.
But researchers warn such willingness would likely erode after just a few weeks as lost wages, food shortages, and runs on medical attention mounted.
"You would find significant levels of cooperation early on," says Robert J. Blendon, author of the report and a professor of health policy at the Harvard School of Public Health. "The question is, how are we going to provide essential services as they [the public] can?t go to normal places?"
More than 90% of the 1,700 U.S. adults surveyed said they would postpone air travel and avoid public venues like movie theatres and shopping centers if asked by public health officials.
Ninety-four percent said they would stay home for 7 to 10 days to help authorities control disease spread.
Hand Washing Still Key
Federal, state, and local officials have been planning for the possibility of a flu pandemic since bird flubird flu began infecting humans in Southeast Asia in 2003.
The highly aggressive strain H5N1, though it is not easily spread between humans, had sickened 256 and killed 151 people as of Oct. 16, according to the World Health Organization.
Government researchers and private companies have collaborated on developing an effective bird flu vaccine against the H5N1 strain since 2004.