The numbers are not flattering: under 10 percent of children get flu vaccinations, said the National Center for Immunization Research and Surveillance. The figure for children in the United States is nearly four times higher.

So, what has left the famed health care system so vulnerable to such a devastating outbreak?

The Australian Attitude

“Up to now, people have had a misconception about what influenza is,” said Dr. Tony Bartone, the vice president of the medical association. “It’s not the common cold; it’s not a grin-and-bear-it situation.”

“That ‘she’ll be right’ attitude is partly responsible,” he added. “We’ve got a culture here that doesn’t really respect having time off work because of the flu. The Australian character is, ‘I’m not going to be bowled over by the flu’ — not give it its due respect.”

Messaging That’s Ineffective

In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States voted to opt for a “universal” flu vaccination, broadening the pool of people in the country considered most at risk. The result? The organization urges that everyone 6 months of age and older receive a flu vaccine each season.

Australia, on the other hand, focuses its messaging on the groups most at risk, like the very young and the elderly. High-risk groups also receive their influenza vaccinations free. The Health Department says “the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone from 6 months of age,” but Dr. Bartone suggested that the government could be more absolute in telling people to get vaccinated.