A new ad depicting Santa Claus suffering from a case of coronavirus has been pulled after complaints from viewers in the United Kingdom.
The seasonal ad, which was titled “The Gift,” first appeared late last week, and was pulled by Sunday from mostly everywhere where it appeared, including the NHS Charities Together YouTube account, reports Business Insider.
The National Health Services {NHS) spot featured an older patient being treated for COVID-19, the outlet reports.
After entering an NHS emergency, the man is observed by doctors on a hospital bed and put on oxygen before eventually recovering. At the end of the 90-second commercial, it is revealed that the man is Santa Claus.
NHS issued an apology in a statement issued on Saturday.
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"We worked closely with the team behind the ad to make sure it was produced responsibly and it was cleared for use by the relevant regulatory authority. However, we are sorry to the parents of any young children who have been upset by watching the ad and to the young children themselves, they were not the intended audience for it," the organization said.
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A top comment on the video before it was removed showed one user’s ire at the content and timing of the piece.
“Absolutely disgusting,” the comment read, according to Business Insider. “Total misstep. As if kids have not been through enough. Shame shame shame on you!”
The charity also explained the purpose and inspiration behind the now-removed spot.
"We created our Christmas campaign to highlight the ongoing commitment and hard work of NHS staff and volunteers to keep us safe and well in what has been and continues to be a really challenging time for the NHS," NHS explained.
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