“Sesame Street” has introduced a new video featuring its popular character Elmo promoting the COVID-19 vaccine to children under 5, but not everyone is pleased with the stance that the children’s TV program has taken on vaccinations.

The video showcases Elmo talking to his father about the COVID-19 vaccine, saying that it felt like “a little pinch, but it was OK.”

Elmo’s father tells viewers, “I had a lot of questions about Elmo getting the Covid vaccine. Was it safe? Was it the right decision? “I talked to our pediatrician so I could make the right choice. I learned that Elmo getting vaccinated is the best way to keep himself, our friends, neighbors, and everyone else healthy and enjoying the things they love.”

While the video is seemingly meant to show kids under 5 that they don’t have to be afraid of the shot and that questions about getting vaccinated against the virus are totally normal, social media users had other feelings about it.

Many on Twitter suggested that the COVID vaccine would cause additional health issues for Elmo.

Others thought that “Sesame Street” was out of line for promoting the medical advice.

Still, others were no longer going to allow “Sesame Street” to be watched in their home.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also weighed in on the Elmo video, criticizing “Sesame Street” for what he said was “ZERO scientific evidence” for “vaccinating children under five.”

But not everyone was not opposed to “Sesame Street’s” view of kids vaccines. Many on Twitter showed their support of the pro-COVID vaccine video.

Elmo, who is cast as 3 years old, is in the under 5 age group of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines that were recently authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the youngest children.

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The next five seasons of "Sesame Street" will run on HBO nine months before they become available on PBS. Reuters
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