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Viewers react to ‘deeply unsettling’ footage of DeBlasio eating Shake Shack as part of Covid vaccine offer

<p>New York mayor Bill DeBlasio offers burgers for Covid vaccinations </p> (NYC Mayor / The Recount / Twitter)

New York mayor Bill DeBlasio offers burgers for Covid vaccinations

(NYC Mayor / The Recount / Twitter)

Bill DeBlasio was ridiculed for biting into a burger and fries from Shake Shack during a Covid briefing, described by viewers as both “a fireable offence” and “deeply unsettling”.

Following the roll-out of Covid vaccines to teenagers in the city, Mr DeBlasio brought the burger chain on board, and on Thursday devoured a burger and fries in front of cameras.

The city’s mayor, armed with a Shake Shack burger, drink and fries to demonstrate the freebies being offered, told New Yorkers to imagine “this when you think of vaccination”.

“Is it too early in the day to eat a burger? No? This could be breakfast? Ok,” said the mayor, turning to an official off camera.

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With the burger in mid-air, and between mouthfuls, Mr De Blasio continued: “I really want to respect all ways of life, but if this is appealing to you, just think of this when you think of vaccination”.

The footage afterwards went viral, with thousands reacting to the New York mayor’s offering – and unsurprisingly, it was not to all tastes.

“Why isn't the sign language guy chewing like a cow to more accurately portray Bill de Blasio's message?,” asked Keith Malinak, in reference to the mayor’s mouthfuls.

“I am both pro-vaccination and pro-Shake Shack but eating while talking – NAY, EATING WHILE HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE – is a fireable offence”, Sarah N Rodgers, added.

“Dang! DeBlasio is gonna turn me off fries and burgers,” another wrote of the footage from the Covid briefing. “This must be the real plan all along.”

Others criticised the mayor’s Shake Shake offer, citing the risks of obesity associated with Covid.

“Don’t underlying conditions like obesity and high blood pressure and diabetes make you more susceptible to catching Covid?,” asked a Twitter user.

Dozens remarked that they could not stop watching, with Brandon Morse adding; “This is ... this is the most fascinating thing I've ever seen in politics. Not one moment of it is dull.”

It follows the offering of a lottery, and free beer for Covid vaccinations, from officials across the US.

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