Elmo is now joining the fight to stop Zika.
The plucky muppet is joined by his “Sesame Street” cohort Raya in videos to help raise awareness about the virus and how to help stop the spread of mosquitoes, which spread the virus through biting people.
The video is for families in Latin America and the Caribbean, which are being hit hard by the Zika virus, which has spread to more than 50 countries and territories. The Pan American Health Organization, a division of the World Health Organization that encompasses the Americas, said it created the videos.
The organization developed two television public service announcements to air in Spanish, English and Portuguese for Brazil, a country hit hard by the outbreak.
The first spot takes aim at popular mosquito breeding grounds, teaching children not to let standing water accumulate and to empty and cover water bowls and basins. Children also need to cover trash containers.
The second video says children should wear long sleeves and pants, use repellent and keep doors and windows screened to protect themselves and stop the spread of Zika.
“If the mosquito doesn’t bite, goodbye Zika,” the two muppets exclaim in one of the videos.
Zika causes a mild illness but officials believe that the virus may also be linked to a birth defect and a neurological disorder.
