Poll: Majority Not Worried About ‘Personally’ Experiencing Monkeypox in the U.S.

Most Americans are not worried about personally experiencing monkeypox in the United States, despite the U.S. declaring a state of emergency over the illness, a survey from The Economist/YouGov found.

“Taking into consideration both your risk of contracting it and the seriousness of the illness, how worried are you personally about experiencing monkeypox?” the survey asked respondents. 

Most, 67 percent, said they are not worried about personally experiencing monkeypox, and of those, 31 percent are “not worried at all.” Just over one-third said they are at least somewhat worried, but only 11 percent said they are “very worried.”

Most Republicans and independents, 80 percent and 70 percent, respectively, indicate little to no worry. Forty-seven percent of Democrats, however, are at least somewhat worried. 

Respondents were also asked how they view Biden’s handling of monkeypox, with 31 percent expressing approval and 35 percent disapproving.

The survey follows the U.S. declaring monkeypox a public health crisis.

“We’re prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously and to take responsibility to help us tackle this virus,” Health and Human Services secretary Xavier Becerra said.

The U.S. has 9,492 confirmed cases of monkeypox, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) but according to reports, the vast majority of cases are among men who have sex with men. 

The declaration coincides with cities, such as San Francisco and New York City, and states, such as Illinois and California, declaring monkeypox an emergency.

“The Monkeypox Virus is a rare, but potentially serious disease that requires the full mobilization of all available public health resources to prevent the spread,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement, announcing his state of emergency last week:

Meanwhile, Florida officials have warned Americans to be wary of the mainstream media’s reports, accusing them of trying to stoke fear, just as they did with the Chinese coronavirus.

State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said during a press conference last week:

It’s really been just kind of remarkable to see some of the headlines, and the headlines that very clearly are trying to make you afraid of monkeypox or fill in the blank, you know, because if you’re not afraid of this, there will be something else after that and something else after that.

“I mean, these people are determined to make you afraid and do whatever it is they want you to do,” he added, noting that there had been no fatalities in the state due to the illness.