Big Bird’s COVID-19 vaccine criticized by conservatives including Sen. Ted Cruz : Coronavirus Updates : NPR

Huge Hen of Sesame Road attends the 2018 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York Metropolis. His announcement about getting the COVID-19 vaccine elicited a combined response.

Noam Galai/FilmMagic

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Noam Galai/FilmMagic

Huge Hen of Sesame Road attends the 2018 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York Metropolis. His announcement about getting the COVID-19 vaccine elicited a combined response.

Noam Galai/FilmMagic

Huge Hen ruffled some conservatives’ feathers this weekend by saying that he had been vaccinated towards COVID-19.

The beloved Muppet tweeted on Saturday that he had gotten the shot, which is newly obtainable for Individuals between the ages of 5 and 11. Huge Hen has been a fixture of youngsters’s tv since 1969 however is formally 6 years outdated.

“My wing is feeling slightly sore, however it’ll give my physique an additional protecting enhance that retains me and others wholesome,” he wrote.

Twitter customers sounded off within the feedback, with many thanking the character for doing his half to maintain Sesame Road secure and set a optimistic instance for youths. President Biden and Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky have been amongst those that provided their thanks and reward.

Others weren’t as appreciative.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, decried Huge Hen’s tweet as “authorities propaganda.”

Fox Information contributor Lisa Boothe accused the Muppet of “brainwashing youngsters,” whereas Newsmax host and former Trump adviser Steve Cortes slammed the announcement as “evil” propaganda.

Each made false claims that youngsters usually are not susceptible to COVID-19. Whereas most kids contaminated with the virus exhibit solely gentle signs, specialists say vaccines can stop many infections and hospitalizations, in addition to disruptions to education.

Different commenters denounced Huge Hen as a puppet (actually) and communist. Lavern Spicer, a congressional candidate in Florida, wrote that “Huge Hen & Elmo are at the least a step UP from [Dr. Anthony] Fauci, however utilizing them to push the drug is simply as reprehensible nonetheless.”

And a few went a lot darker, like Tennessee congressional candidate Robby Starbuck and alt-right social media character Mike Cernovich.

Many observers famous the irony of the pile-on, provided that Huge Hen is each a fictional character and one recognized for spreading messages of kindness and curiosity. Plus, they identified, this is not the primary time he is gotten vaccinated.

Huge Hen himself stated he had simply realized that he had been getting vaccines since he was “slightly hen.”

An account referred to as “Muppet Wiki” backed up these claims with a series of video clips from a 1972 episode through which Huge Hen will get vaccinated towards measles.

And Huge Hen is not the one younger resident of Sesame Road to get the COVID-19 jab, both. The turquoise, bilingual muppet Rosita (who is seemingly 5) additionally bought vaccinated just lately.

The 2 appeared on CNN — with Granny Hen, too — over the weekend to share their questions, experiences and recommendations on getting the shot.

This story initially appeared in the Morning Version stay weblog.