Book your vaccination," reads an on-screen message in the 30-second ad, seemingly intended to illustrate the risks posed to young people by the highly-contagious Delta variant. The ad, which began airing Sunday night in Sydney, "is quite graphic, and it's meant to be graphic," Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, said during a news conference Sunday. While Australia has fared better than many other developed nations in keeping infections relatively low, Sydney has seen case numbers surge in recent weeks as the Delta variant takes hold. In response to the outbreak, restrictions have tightened in Australia's largest city, with tough rules in place limiting outdoor gatherings, exercise and shopping. New South Wales, of which Sydney is the capital, reported 112 new locally transmitted cases Monday, almost all in Sydney, despite the strict lockdown measures.

Source: CNN July 12, 2021 10:41 UTC