An eight-year-old boy from Israel has tragically died of a heart attack, three years after appearing in a government-sponsored video that promoted the COVID vaccine for children.  

Yonatan Moshe Erlichman suffering cardiac arrest while taking a bath. The child was taken to Hadassah Hospital in Mount Scopus in serious condition but died a few days later on September 28.

Yonatan Erlichman was the grandson of Dr. Mati Erlichman, a respected doctor in Beit El. 

Three years ago, at the age of five, Yonatan appeared in a video produced by the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, as reported by Frontline News. The video was part of the government-run program called “Shushki in the Land of Binyamin,” which aimed to entertain and educate children. 

In the video, Shushki, a friendly puppet “child,” prompts real people to respond with educational answers.

Yonatan Erlichman’s role in the COVID vaccine promotion made him a symbol for the importance of vaccination, with the film emphasizing that children have no choice when it comes to getting the shots.

The video came out before the COVID vaccine was available, but prompted citizens to get the shot when it was ready.

Following the tragedy, the Erlichman family issued a statement: “Our Yonatan Moshe passed away a short time ago. On the eve of Yom Kippur, Yonatan went into cardiac arrest in our home, and since then we have struggled by his side after he collapsed. With love, we thank all those dear to us, who were by our side during the last days of his life.”

Second in two years

Last year, Argentina’s poster boy for childhood vaccination, Santino Godoy Blanco, 4, tragically died after falling ill and reporting a plethora of symptoms.

He’s pictured on the Argentinian government’s website under a vaccine campaign material guideline. 

“Vaccines protect us,” reads the slogan beside Blanco, who’s holding up a fist.

Neither of these deaths have been linked to vaccines. Health Canada maintains that the COVID vaccine is safe and advisable for children over 6-months-old.