Covid Australia: 'Graphic' vaccine advert sparks backlash

An Australian vaccine advertisement has sparked a backlash, with many criticising its graphic depiction of a young woman suffering from Covid.

The government advert shows the woman in a hospital bed gasping for air while hooked up to a ventilator.

The text reads: "Covid-19 can affect anyone…Book your vaccination."

But critics say the advert unfairly targets young people, considering under 40s will only be able to access the vaccines at the end of the year.

Official health advice also recommends that young people wait for a Pfizer jab instead of the available AstraZeneca jab. Australia has a shortage of Pfizer supplies.

The advert is currently only being shown in Sydney, which is in the grip of an outbreak of the Delta variant and is in its third week of lockdown.