City of Toronto pulls children's COVID-19 vaccination video following backlash
The City of Toronto has retracted a public service announcement regarding children’s vaccinations following backlash.
The video, originally uploaded to the city’s YouTube channel Friday, shows a child sitting indoors, watching other children play outdoors.
“Hey mom, can I go outside and play with my friends?” the child in the video asks, to which the mother responds, “No honey, there’s still something going around.”
Many were quick to criticize the video, with some calling it “manipulative" and claiming the video implies unvaccinated children should be kept indoors and away from their friends.
The city pulled the ad from its YouTube channel shortly after, and published a tweet saying it would “work to ensure greater clarity in the future.”
When reached for comment, City of Toronto spokesperson Brad Ross told CTV News Toronto the pandemic has negatively impacted children in a number of different ways.
“The video created was intended to highlight the impact it has had on children and inform parents and caregivers that vaccines for children are now available,” Ross said.
“This video missed the mark on that message and should not have been posted.”
The city says the video is one of a five-part series directed at parents and caregivers about children’s vaccines. The series has now been paused, they said.
According to the city, each video cost $4,000 to produce – totaling $20,000 for the series.
“Any future videos of this nature will undergo a more rigorous approval process to ensure clarity of the message being conveyed before making them public,” Ross said.
CHILDREN'S VACCINES IN ONTARIO
In July, Ontario opened up COVID-19 vaccination bookings for children aged six months to five years of age. At this time, it was also announced that immunocomprised children aged 12 to 15 years of age would be eligible to receive their COVID-19 booster, if six months had passed since their last dose.
“Getting vaccinated remains the best defence against COVID-19 and I encourage parents with questions to reach out to their health care provider, the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre or the SickKids COVID-19 Vaccine Consult Service to make an informed choice for their family," Minister of Health Sylvia Jones said in conjunction with the announcement,
Parents and caregivers with questions regarding children's vaccinations are encouraged to speak with their health care provider or call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.
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