Israel Flu Epidemic

It's enough to watch the nightly news in Israel (preferably at 8 PM with Yonit Levy) to know that there is a major flu outbreak in Israel, of epidemic proportions. Hospital occupancy is reported at over 150% around the country, and the nightly videos of sickly patients forced to sleep in hallways are always unsettling.

If I remember correctly from the last newscast, there are approximately 200,000 more Israelis sick with the flu this year at this time than there were last year during the same period. The flu shot is widely available, cheap, and highly recommended by the health authorities. Does it not provide immunity to the strain currently afflicting Israel? It does. So why aren't people running to get themselves immunized?

Back in late October, three Israelis died, within a 48 hour period, from flu shots they received at the same clinic. A major PR crisis ensued for the Ministry of Health, which while quickly calling for the cessation of all use of the flu shot and an immediate investigation of what happened, quickly turned to כסת"ח mode (כיסוי תחת = cover up). The chain-smoking Minister of Health declared that a scientific investigation had proven that all was well, and with a fake smile, he took a flu shot (or so we were made to believe) before members of the press.

The כסת"ח, apparently, continued through October. Eleven more Israelis died of the flu shot during the month of October, and the Ministry of Health did not see it fit to report this to the public. And they are still calling for people to get immunized. I'd rather be sick for a week than...