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Guy Sebastian clarified that he was personally “pro-vax” after being criticized for appearing to withdraw his support for the Covid-19 vaccination campaign from the live performance industry.
In an interview with Ray Hadley on Tuesday, the singer insisted that comments he made about vaccines on social media on Monday had been misinterpreted.
Sebastian is one of more than 400 professionals in the music and arts industry who have participated in a pro-vaccination campaign.
But on Monday night, he deleted a #VaxTheNation post from his Facebook page and posted a video on Instagram, claiming the post was posted without his approval.
“I will never, ever tell people what to do with regards to their personal health choices,” he said in the video.
“I’m very sensitive to this not only on a public level but even in my personal life, with people who have circumstances to consider when making these choices, so I just want to say I’m so sorry.
“It was not a message that communicated with love or compassion, which in my opinion is what is needed when it comes to tackling things like vaccinations.”
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Sebastian’s statement was interpreted by many on social media as a sympathetic message to the anti-vax movement and an attempt to have it both ways.
Ben Lee tweeted: “To be honest this is a really sad example of what happens when your career depends on trying to be everything for everyone.”
To be honest, this is actually a really sad example of what happens when your career depends on trying to be everything for everyone.
– Ben Lee (@benleemusic) September 6, 2021
Some artists spend a huge amount of their cultural capital challenging audiences to get vaxxed. So much respect. And then there’s dude Sebastian, one of our most successful artists, who seems to agree with the science but is terrified of losing his anti-vax $
– Urthboy (@urthboy) September 6, 2021
On Tuesday morning, Hadley told her 2 GB audience, “Get out of the fence… grow a set, Guy.”
Shortly after the comments, Sebastian appeared on Hadley’s show, claiming he was referring to people with health problems when referring to “personal health choices” in his video.
“I was very clear on my position. Personally, I am pro-vax… but if your doctor has said that you have a certain condition you should take that into account which puts you in a high risk category. [for the vaccine], then we have to follow the advice of our health professionals, ”he said.
“We can convey this message without [people who are high risk] in the anti-vax conversation.
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Sebastian said the Facebook post was posted “by a member of my team” without his permission and that he was “mortified” by the language used.
Guardian Australia has not seen the initial message. A Sony spokesperson said it was not an employee of the record company who posted the #VaxTheNation message.
Sebastian received both doses of the vaccine. “I am with the campaign. I have canceled my tour now three times. My last concert was in December 2019 in Amsterdam. I want this to start more than anyone, ”he told 2GB.
But when asked if he would change the wording of the Instagram post, to correct the confusion and make it more clearly inclusive of people medically unable to get the vaccine rather than those who oppose it, Sebastian differed. “I don’t think I need to clarify myself.
The multi-award-winning artist became a household name after winning the Australian Idol in 2003 and is now a judge on The Voice.
He drew criticism in June 2020 after standing alongside Scott Morrison as the Prime Minister announced the federal government’s bailout for the arts, which was widely viewed by the industry as too little, too late. In October, he called Morrison to explain the delay in delivering the $ 250 million emergency package.
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