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Saturday, May 9, 2009

Flu fears change

ATLANTA — Thanks to swine flu, there’s a little less hugging and kissing in the United States.

About one in 10 Americans have stopped hugging and kissing friends or relatives because of concerns about swine flu, according to a survey released Friday. About the same number have stopped shaking hands.

Officials have emphasized other measures to prevent spread of the virus, like washing hands and using hand sanitizers. The survey found about two-thirds of Americans are taking such steps.

"This outbreak has permeated a lot of American life,” said Robert Blendon, the Harvard School of Public Health researcher who led the polling.

The survey also found about six in 10 Americans are not currently worried that they or someone in their immediate family will get sick from the virus.

However, parents of school-aged children were more concerned about swine flu infections.

More than 1,000 people participated in the telephone survey.

The survey was done Tuesday and Wednesday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.



by the associated press

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