After a beloved “Sesame Street” character announced on social media that he had gotten vaccinated against coronavirus, several conservative pundits and politicians denounced the public service announcement as “propaganda,” errantly claiming it would cause harm to kids.
Big Bird, a tall yellow bird that is found in the PBS program “Sesame Street,” tweeted (pun intended) over the weekend that he had received a COVID vaccination.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gave last week’s recommendations to children aged 5-11 years old. the go-aheadYou can obtain a lower dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccination to protect against coronavirus. Big Bird, a character who has entertained and educated children for many decades, is six years of age on the show.
“I got the COVID-19 vaccine today!” the character tweeted on Saturday. “My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.”
Big Bird’s tweet garnered criticism from a number of right-wing figures, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
“Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!” Cruz wrote on Twitter.
The Texas Senator wasn’t the only one upset over the anthropomorphic puppet’s promotion of vaccines. A Republican running for Congress in Tennessee suggested Big Bird would die from the vaccine while a Republican senator was from Arizona. accused the puppetBeing a communist.
Fox News personality Lisa Boothe also derided Big Bird’s vaccination status. “Brainwashing children who are not at risk from COVID. Twisted,” Boothe wrote.
These criticisms are contrary to the research and real-world evidence on vaccines. The vaccine could cause harm to children is incredibly smallWhile the benefits of vaccinations for children are immense, The Pfizer vaccine is 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 in children ages 5-11.
Despite the disinformation being spread by Republicans, coronavirus is not safe for children. Children account for approximately 80% of all coronavirus cases. more than 16 percent of all coronavirus cases being reportedIn the U.S. nearly 900 kids in the U.S. have died due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. In the meantime, the long-term effects on kids from the virus are unknown. are not yet understood.
Many conservatives condemned the character of getting vaccinated. However, there were many public figures who offered their congratulations.
“Good on ya, @BigBird. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep your whole neighborhood safe,” President Joe Biden tweeted in response to the character’s post.
CDC director Rochelle Walensky called Big Bird “brave” for getting the shot.
The “Sesame Street” character has educated children on important topics in ways they can easily comprehend for generations, including vaccinations. Many Twitter users shared video clips showing Big Bird receiving a vaccination decades before the current pandemic.
