Who Are You Going To Call…GERMBUSTERS!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2009
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Who Are You Going To Call…GERMBUSTERS!
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to Pilot Innovative New Program with Area Youth
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will begin piloting a new disease prevention program with area youth. “Germ Busters” will be an interactive educational program for youth pre-school through middle school that will focus on preventing disease through basic proper hygiene measures. CUPHD created this program in direct response to recent current events surrounding H1N1 and its inevitable spread in the fall. This flu seems to be disproportionately affecting the young. CUPHD will be conducting the first class on Friday, June 19, 2009 in the large CUPHD conference room located at 201 West Kenyon Road from 8:00am - 12:00pm.
“Children are some of the greatest teachers,” said Julie A. Pryde, Public Health Administrator at CUPHD. “Once they learn something important, they tell it to others and remind them when they forget. The Germ Busters program is based on this social advertising model. CUPHD will give the participants the information and tools to “spread the word not germs”, and it will be up to each individual child to make a difference. CUPHD is starting this program now in hopes that it will help curtail the spread of H1N1 in the fall and winter.
The Germ Busters program focuses on four key messages:
- Cough or sneeze into your sleeve, not your hands.
- Do not touch your “T-Zone” (eyes, nose, and mouth).
- Wash your hands frequently using good hand washing practices.
- Stay home when you are sick to prevent infecting others.
Participating children will be trained in these principles by CUPHD costumed characters through a series of interactive exercises, live skits and videos and encouraged to share what they learn with their friends and families. Children that successfully complete the initial class will be declared “Official Germ Busters” and will be given a certificate of completion, t-shirt, and many other Germ Buster related materials. Official Germ Busters will also have their own “club” on the CUPHD website that will allow them to down load special Germ Buster educational activity sheets, read new Germ Buster tips and updates as well as watch new educational videos and receive tips from their favorite Germ Buster characters.
CUPHD is taking the Germ Busters program “on the road” this summer. The program is available free of charge to all area day cares, schools, camps, organizations and anywhere kids congregate in Champaign County.. Local groups interested in hosting the Germ Busters for a half-hour fun-filled class are encouraged to call CUPHD for additional information or to schedule a time or fill out a request form on-line at www.c-uphd.org.
For more information on Germ Busters or CUPHD and its many programs, please contact CUPHD at (217) 352-7961 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org. Additional H1N1 or other emergency preparedness materials may be found at www.Stock2forFlu or www.champcoprepares.com . Also, become a fan of “Champaign County Prepares” on FaceBook for additional information on H1N1.
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