enhanced_deficit
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnnXOvZ78nY
Australian ad showing Covid patient gasping for air sparks backlash as country battles Delta variant
By Rhea Mogul
Mon July 12, 2021
(CNN) A dramatic government health advertisement showing a young woman gasping for air while on a ventilator has sparked a backlash in Australia, with social media users criticizing its targeting of young people for coronavirus vaccination -- the majority of whom are not yet eligible to receive the recommended shot.
"Covid can affect anyone. Stay home. Get tested. Book your vaccination," reads an on-screen message in the 30-second ad, seemingly intended to illustrate the risks posed to young people by the highly-contagious Delta variant.
The ad, which began airing Sunday night in Sydney, "is quite graphic, and it's meant to be graphic," Australia's chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, said during a news conference Sunday. "We are only doing this because of the (Covid-19) situation."
While Australia has fared better than many other developed nations in keeping infections relatively low, Sydney has seen case numbers surge in recent weeks as the Delta variant takes hold. In response to the outbreak, restrictions have tightened in Australia's largest city, with tough rules in place limiting outdoor gatherings, exercise and shopping.
New South Wales, of which Sydney is the capital, reported 112 new locally transmitted cases Monday, almost all in Sydney, despite the strict lockdown measures.
The new government ad is part of a broader Covid-19 health campaign highlighting the seriousness of the latest outbreak, however, many Australians have expressed concern over its use of "insensitive" scare tactics, and what many perceive to be muddled, contradictory messaging.
cnn.com/2021/07/12/australia/covid-ad-backlash-australia-intl-hnk/index.html
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