Newsweek Gets Dragged For Child Vaccine Hesitancy Cover Photo That Looks Like Anti-Vax Propaganda
If there’s one thing this pandemic has made painfully and abundantly clear, it’s that a lot of people don’t trust the media—until the media is telling them exactly what they already want to believe.
Obviously, this was a thing long before COVID-19—as people of all demographics and ideologies are susceptible to confirmation bias—but the pandemic, especially since the start of the vaccine rollout, has provided endless picture-perfect examples of it.
And sometimes the stoking of mostly irrational fear is done through pictures that aren’t so perfect.
On Wednesday, Newsweek published a piece about parents’ hesitancy and outright refusal to have their children vaccinated for COVID-19 as the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve vaccinations for children as young as five. Now, to be fair, the article was pretty neutral and even-handed. It isn’t an anti-vaxxer op-ed piece or anything like that; it’s just an article detailing the reactions from parents, which range from the anti-intellectual conspiracy nonsense we’ve all seen in our various news feeds, to reasonably concerned parents who are finding it hard to follow the constant new developments in the narrative from medical professionals regarding the vaccine and are simply waiting to see how things shake out before letting their kids get the shot.
Unfortunately, the publication chose to promote this politically and ideologically benign article with a fearmongering photo that is certain to have readers of the anti-vaxx persuasion clutching their pearls and refusing to read anything past the headline.
The risks of COVID for kids may be higher than previously believed. The virus is now 6th or 7th leading cause of death in children. But many parents are reluctant to get them vaccinated—even as FDA approval seems imminent.
Read more: https://t.co/hxFm6wz794
@adampiore pic.twitter.com/UHM0Zy9CuF
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) October 27, 2021
“Would you give this kid a shot?” the caption asks next to a photo of a white child looking frightened and clutching her teddy bear like she was about to receive a COVID shot administered from the fingertips of Freddie Krueger.
I mean, come on, Newsweek—what are you doing?
Whoever decided this cover photo was a good idea must have been seconds away from going with an image of a syringe with a skull and crossbones symbol before they decided, “Nah, this is a bit much. Let’s go with the ‘scared white girl hiding in the closet from the boogeyman’ look instead.”
Obviously, the fine folks on Twitter had a field day rightfully dragging the photo to hell and back.
This cover is deeply disappointing. As a pediatric health care provider who is counting the days until I see a drop off in covid infections in my patients because of the vaccine, I ask that you reconsider the message you are sending.
— Sarah Kat (@sweaver79) October 29, 2021
And yet this cover will scare off parents from protecting their children by getting them vaccinated.
— In Honor of Gabby (@BidenHarrisWin2) October 29, 2021
What were you THINKING with that cover? That kid has already had shots, which is why they don’t have, like, polio. Virtually everyone looking at that cover will have had multiple shots by that age, but you’re suggesting that giving a kid a shot is some cruel thing?
Be ashamed.
— Dale Innis (@DaleInnis) October 29, 2021
Fire the people who approved this cover & greenlit profits from yellow journalism over life-saving health care. Seriously – I want names.
— Dr. Jenn Conti (@doctorjenn) October 28, 2021
Maybe instead of showing this child cowering in fear, show her encased in armor with a shield and sword, since her parents will finally be able to give her the protection and defense that she needs to return to a nearly normal life again.
— Nicole Fully Vaxxed and Masked Miles (@Nikadmiles) October 28, 2021
Some people pointed out that, not only is the photo irresponsible, but the question it’s captioned with is loaded and dumb.
Would you give this kid food?
Common sense strongly backs giving kids food.
Parents, “informed” by shitty publications, aren’t so sure.
— XXX-L Feral Æ A-12s (@Tr3vin) October 28, 2021
This cover is loaded and offensive. Hell yes I would give her a shot if she were mine. Like the six others she’s already had to keep her safe.
— Thomas R. Wood (@ModernWood) October 28, 2021
Are you serious? Kids don’t like shots: news at 11! They also don’t like: bedtime, naps, stopping cartoons, baths, diaper changes, loud noises, vegetables, brushing teeth……
Parenthood = protecting your child, not giving them whatever they want.
FFS take this down
— 2veeam (@EmmaTooVI) October 28, 2021
Don’t get me wrong, as someone who works in media, I get that it is common practice to run with photos and headlines that will draw in traffic, but there’s a line between being clever to attract readers and irresponsible click-bait propaganda.
This photo is basically playing hopscotch back and forth across that line.
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Newsweek Tweets Photo Of MLK In A Casket
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