Furious anti-vax parents have taken to their preferred soapbox to complain about a Peppa Pig book that taught children that getting vaccinated isn’t scary.
The book, entitled Peppa Pig: Peppa Gets a Vaccination aims to help small children get over any fears of visiting the doctor by the help of every toddler's favourite pink piglet, Peppa.
The book follows Peppa and Mummy Pig in a visit to the doctor.
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Peppa's height and weight are measured. She gets her ears and heartbeat checked.
The doctor then listens to Peppa's loudest oink, and asks Mummy Pig if Peppa is up-to-date on her vaccinations.
Mummy Pig says that she is - and this is where it all goes downhill for poor Peppa.
Despite the children’s book's positive intentions, livid parents have left multiple one-star reviews on Amazon to push their views on vaccines.
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One social media user hit out, saying: "This is conditioning, nothing more. Any parent who gets this for their child shouldn't be a parent. End of."
A second Amazon user said: "Thoroughly enjoyed this simplification of an invasive medical procedure, with absolutely no informed consent, and can't wait to read all about Peppa's further adventures. Will she develop Type 1 Diabetes? Guillain-Barre Syndrome? Narcolepsy? The possibilities are endless...maybe Peppa will be diagnosed with high functioning Autism."
A third user dubbed the book 'collectivist propaganda sponsored by the state'.
Parenting can be a veritable minefield of differing opinions, apparently even on the topic of basic modern medicine.
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A few parents did hit back in the comments, with one stating the obvious: "People really need to calm down. Kids have been having vaccinations for years. Don’t like it, don't buy it."
A second said: "Covid isn't mentioned at all in the book so I don't know why some reviewers are making it look like it is... This is a great book to help explain the vaccine process to young children to stop them worrying about something that, while unpleasant, is there to help them."
A third added: "Unbelievable that a book on vaccinations - something most of us have had - has been taken over by the conspiracy theorists."
The book reviews come as Aussie parents are being advised to vaccinate children between five and 11 for coronavirus.
Children aged five and under are currently ineligible for the inoculation.
Topics: Health, Coronavirus, News
Rachel Lang