Australian Government’s Vaccination Commercial Meets With Heavy Public Backlash

The federal government's new Covid ad depicts a young women struggling to breathe on a hospital bed (Screenshot).

The federal government’s $41 million (US$ 30.7 million) nationwide “Arm Yourself” campaign, to encourage Australians to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 jab has come under intense criticism after members of the public took to the social media platform Twitter to vent their frustration.

The 30-second commercial, which aired on Sydney television on Sunday, features a young woman on a ventilator struggling to breathe as her heart monitor beeps, with the message: “COVID-19 can affect anyone. Stay home. Get tested. Book your vaccination.”