The Commission has published today a special Eurobarometer survey on avian influenza. The objective of the survey was to determine citizens’ level of knowledge regarding the health risks linked to avian influenza, their level of knowledge of policies aimed at fighting the spread of the virus, and the impact of avian influenza outbreaks on their consumption of poultry products. Around 25,000 respondents were interviewed across Europe between 27 March and 1 May 2006. The poll covered the 25 EU Member States and the Turkish Cypriot Community, two acceding countries (Bulgaria and Romania) and two candidate countries (Croatia and Turkey).
According to the survey most Europeans are well informed about the risks relating to avian flu, and broadly trust national and EU public authorities in their efforts to prevent and contain avian flu. Respondents displayed a very good awareness that if humans touch infected birds they can be infected (74%): this shows that basic public health messages have largely got through to the general public. Respondents also displayed a good awareness that EU legislation exists which sets out measures to be taken in case of an outbreak, a very good awareness (77%) of the requirement to confine poultry indoors in risk areas, and of import restrictions (78%) from third countries affected by avian flu.
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