Floridians are concerned about the Zika virus, a new poll shows.
Quinnipiac University released a poll on Thursday morning which finds 22 percent of voters in the Sunshine State are very concerned about Zika while 40 percent are somewhat concerned about it. While 22 percent say they’re not so concerned about it, 15 percent say they aren’t concerned about Zika at all.
"Because of its proximity to South America and the huge amount of tourism from there, Floridians are more concerned about the Zika virus than voters in the other states,” said Peter Brown, the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, on Thursday. They also are more critical of government efforts to stamp it out.”
As Brown noted, Floridians think the government can do matter to combat Zika. Asked if the government has done all it can to fight the virus, 46 percent of those surveyed say no while 37 percent say yes.
The poll finds Floridians are paying a great deal of attention to Zika. More than half of those surveyed--55 percent--say they have read and heard a lot about Zika while 30 percent say they have heard and read some on the virus. Only 3 percent say they have heard or read nothing on Zika while 12 percent say they have followed it a little.
Despite the concerns about Zika, Florida voters want the Summer Olympics to continue in Brazil which faces an outbreak of the virus which is transmitted by mosquitos. Half of Florida voters--52 percent--think America’s athletes should compete in the Olympics while 29 percent think the athletes should stay home.
Increasingly, some high profile athletes are passing on going to the Olympics over Zika concerns. Earlier this week, golfer Rory McIlroy bowed out of taking part in the Olympics due to his concerns about the virus.
The poll of 975 Florida voters was taken from June 8-June 19 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
