The media is up in arms once again regarding chareidi bashing, this time attempting to create an impression that is far from the truth. The subject this time revolves around preventive medicine, with facts from a study carried out by the government's Central Bureau of Statistics covering 5.5 million Israelis. This survey (hopefully) refutes a painful and totally unfounded myth that the chareidi population does not inoculate their children.
The facts, however, substantiate that 92% of chareidi children up to the age of 17 are protected by the regular vaccines according to their respective ages. Interestingly, the Jewish population as a whole has a 91% record of inoculation, compared to 95% of the Arab population. The chareidi population has a one percent higher record than children from the secular sector!
This report on preventive health encompasses aspects of Israeli society, based on facts of the Bureau's survey of 2017, which is part of a regular annual report covering the entire country.
Regarding the recommended flu vaccine for the adult population, the facts vary. 26% of the adult population from 20 and up received the vaccine in this past year, which breaks down to 24% of the males as opposed to 27% of women. The numbers rise with age, and reached 65% to those of seventy-five and older. Chareidim lag behind with the flu vaccine, with only 14% opting to be inoculated, as opposed to 29% of the secular population. This variance can be explained by the relative reduced media advertisement outlay invested to promote vaccination in the chareidi circles. Added to this are the rumors circulated among chareidim regarding the element of risk, despite the studies which testify that on the contrary, the vaccine can save lives and mitigate the side effects of the flu, if contracted.
