With ASPHER support, the animated cartoon series "Leo&Giulia" is back to explain vaccines to children

On European Immunization Week 2022 the public health animated cartoon series "Leo&Giulia" is back with a new episode to explain to children how vaccines work and why they are so important to protect population health

After the success of the first episode, released in 2020, the popular animated cartoon series "Leo and Giulia: us just like you!" is back. If the goal of the first episode of the saga was to make primary school children understand the scientific rationale of COVID-19 containment measures, including lock-downs and school closures, in this second chapter brother and sister discover together how vaccines work, what is meant by “herd immunity” and why vaccines are so important to protect population health.

Leo&Giulia is an innovative project of health education targeting primary school-aged children. Developed from an idea of Anna Odone, Director of the School of Public Health at the University of Pavia in Italy, in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Health, it aims at conveying scientific content and key public health principles to young generations in a fun and effective way. The chapter on vaccines is released during World Immunization Week 2022 to contribute to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.

At a time when COVID-19 vaccine coverage in the 5-11 age group is still low in many European countries the new Leo&Giulia  episode has a key mission: to get children involved and aware of the role they can play in preventing infection spread and protect collective health. “I consider health education a fundamental pillar of public health and I am convinced that talking directly to children, explaining them the science behind public health measures is of extreme importance.” says Anna Odone. “In addition to recognizing the right to information for children, we can provide them with the cognitive tools necessary to play an active role in controlling the pandemic and promoting their family’s health, and, more generally, to become informed and aware citizens.”

The video, produced by Maga Animation Studio, is freely available on YouTube at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k4qAnIwuHU