May 31st, 2011

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

Victor Vaccine and other mascots are fighting for shots, public health, and the immunization way.

This mixed-and-matched superhero has boots like Captain America’s, gloves that Batman might wear, and a blue outfit that resembles Superman’s. His shield, though, is unique: It is made of felt, designed to repel (or hold) Velcro-wrapped “germ balls” tossed by kids.

Meet Victor Vaccine, Montgomery County’s new immunization mascot and the latest weapon in the public health corps’ battle to keep infectious diseases at bay. Measles, whooping cough, and other highly contagious illnesses, while largely invisible these days, are seeing sudden and sometimes deadly outbreaks – perfect fodder for a superhero.

“A lot of times it takes a disease like measles to hit our community” – Bucks County has had three cases in the last month, and Camden County one probable case – “to catch people’s attention,” said Janice L. Anastasi, the immunization coordinator in Bucks, which four years ago introduced its own mascot, Bee Diddy, to do just that.

The people with measles have recovered but there were reverberations. Eighteen unvaccinated Council Rock School District students were kept out of school and all related activities, including proms, for three weeks, to the surprise of some parents.

Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer