A new Reason-Rupe poll was released Thursday and it covered a number of topics to include ISIS, the mid term elections and President Obama.
Image/CDC
In addition to the more political topics, two health issues, which are somewhat politicized, were asked about in the poll–Ebola in America and mandatory childhood vaccinations.
Prior to the arrival in the US of the late Liberian Ebola patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, about 4 out of 10 people thought an Ebola outbreak was likely in the US.
However, things have changed in the minds of some Americans. The Reason Rupe poll shows that a whopping 62 percent of Americans say an Ebola outbreak in a US city is likely, while 36 percent say an outbreak in the US is not likely.
Twenty-three percent of the public believes an Ebola outbreak in a US city is “very likely” and 39 percent say it is “somewhat likely.”
Concerning the ever controversial issue of mandatory childhood vaccination like measles and mumps, six out 10 Americans believe they should be mandatory for American children, according to the poll.
37 percent feel parents should be able to refuse vaccinations. Just over half, 52 percent, of Americans, say unvaccinated children should not be allowed to attend public schools, 44 percent think children who haven’t been vaccinated should be allowed in schools.
The Reason-Rupe poll interviewed 1,004 adults on mobile (503) and landline (501) phones from October 1-6, 2014. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. Princeton Survey Research Associates International executed the nationwide survey.
