The shocking images about the effects of Covid-19 that were included in a television advertisement urging residents to get vaccinated on Monday drew criticism from across sectors, who considered the campaign to raise fear and cause more anxiety.

The government’s video, aimed at Sydney residents, shows a young woman lying in a hospital bed with breathing problems while connected to a mechanical respirator and culminates with text saying coronavirus can affect everyone and inviting you to make a vaccination appointment.

Conservative columnist Rita Panahi on Twitter, which has more than 254,500 followers, criticized: “Advertising campaigns in France and New Zealand are about hope and restoring freedoms and normalcy. Australia has chosen to sow fear.”

But Lieutenant-General John Frewin, a senior official with the Australian government’s vaccination programme, said on Monday the announcement was “effective” and meant to alert “the situation in (the state of) New Wales, and in Sydney. It is very serious”.

Sydney, the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak with a delta variant, recorded 112 new local infections on Monday, another new annual record so far this year in Australia, despite a confinement decree on June 26, which aims to extend it several times. More weeks.

With less than 10 per cent of more than 25 million people vaccinated with the full COVID-19 schedule in Australia, the controversial announcement indirectly reinforces the population’s call to get vaccinated with the locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine.

The advertising campaign, aimed at young people, was also criticized for the lack of access to people under the age of 40, according to the immunization program, the Pfizer vaccine, which is recommended for the population under the age of 60 years.

Gill, mental health activist, Stark said: “Why would you use a young man in your scary ad and warn that he could get seriously ill from COVID when a young man cannot be vaccinated because our government has made a huge step by implanting the vaccine?” More than 21,000 followers.

For Guardian columnist Amy Remeckis, the “worst thing” about the Arm Yourself campaign “is the continued militarization of Australia’s response to the pandemic. It’s not about helping others but helping oneself.” , according to his Twitter account with more than 44,400 followers.

Justifying the announcement, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Sky News that “the important thing is for people to understand how important this is (Covid-19),” commenting that a million vaccines per week.

Australia is stacked with about 31,000 infections and 911 deaths, the last of which was reported on Sunday.

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