Qld Health condemns anti-vax poster quoting chief health officer Jeannette Young as ‘nonsense’
Queensland’s health department has condemned posters quoting its own top doctor, saying she has been taken out of context.
Queensland’s health department has condemned posters put up by anti-vaxxers, which use its own chief health officer’s quotes, describing the flyers as a “nonsense”.
Photos emerged of the flyers in Melbourne depicting Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young beside the quote: “I don’t want an 18-year-olds in Queensland dying from a clotting illness who, if they got Covid, probably wouldn’t die.”
The comments she made in June have now backfired, with suspected anti-vaxxers using them to further their cause.
Presented without comment: those infamous remarks by QLD’s CHO Dr Jeannette Young regarding AstraZeneca are sadly being used by the anti-vax movement to further their message. These posters are popping up around Melbourne pic.twitter.com/L6DWO1UZ8M
— Nadia Daly (@nadiasdaly) September 28, 2021
Queensland’s Department of Health on Tuesday lashed the flyers, labelling them an appalling misrepresentation of her comments.
“The comment has been taken completely out of context,” a Queensland Health spokesman said.
“We urge the community to disregard this anti-vaccination nonsense – the Queensland chief health officer strongly advocates for vaccination every day.
“To try to use a strong vaccination advocate in an anti-vaccination rally is absurd and contradictory in itself.”
Dr Young made the comment after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced anyone under the age of 40 could approach their GP and request the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“I do not want under-40s to get AstraZeneca. It is rare, but they are at an increased risk of getting the rare clotting syndrome,” Dr Young said at the time.
“We have had very few deaths due to Covid-19 in Australia in people under the age of 50 and wouldn’t it be terrible that our first 18-year-old in Queensland who dies related to this pandemic, died because of the vaccine.”
Dr Young’s comments were made in line with ATAGI’s advice which, at the time, recommended people under the age of 50 not take the vaccine.
The expert panel has since changed its advice for young adults living in hotspot areas to “strongly consider” the jab.
Rioters stormed the streets of Melbourne last week, protesting against vaccine mandates and restrictions.
Victoria has now mandated vaccines for multiple industries including health, construction, teaching and aged care.
The issue has become highly divisive within the community, with social media becoming the main battleground for the spread of misinformation and fear.
Figures from the Melbourne Institute this month suggested vaccine hesitancy had fallen from 20.3 per cent in August to 16.7 per cent in September.
rhiannon.tuffield@news.com.au
Originally published as Qld Health condemns anti-vax poster quoting chief health officer Jeannette Young as ‘nonsense’
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