Sesame Street and SC Johnson Offer Lessons for Little Ones to Help Prevent Mosquito Bites

Beloved Muppets Characters Entertain and Teach with "1, 2, 3 Stay Away Mosquitoes"

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Apr 06, 2017, 11:00 ET

RACINE, Wis., April 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Another mosquito season is approaching, and Sesame Street and SC Johnson are working together to raise awareness and share critical information about mosquito bite prevention. A education program called 1, 2, 3 Stay Away Mosquitoes, features Muppet friends Grover, Ernie, The Count and Rosita, and provides free content to children and caregivers with tips to avoid mosquitoes that may carry disease and remove breeding grounds. It also offers age-appropriate information about the benefits of wearing protective clothing and repellent.

"Education on how to avoid bites is key to preventing mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, Zika and dengue fever," said Kelly M. Semrau, Senior Vice President – Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability at SC Johnson. "It is vitally important for families to start thinking about the approaching mosquito season now, and 1, 2, 3 Stay Away Mosquitoes is a great place to begin."

The materials, available in English and Spanish, include two online videos, activity sheets for children, and tips for parents on a digital toolkit at: www.sesamestreet.org/mosquito. The online information prompts parents to create mosquito-free places for children and provides helpful advice such as:

Mosquitoes love water and wet areas. Remove standing water from any place it collects, like flowerpots, drains, birdbaths, children's pools, and roof gutters, and teach children not to play in puddles.
Make sure your home has screens on doors and windows. Even small holes can let in mosquitoes, so be sure to repair any tears in the screens. Children can help by playing "detective" to find any holes in need of repair!
Mosquito netting can also be used to protect strollers and infant carriers or when sleeping outdoors.
When outdoors, use personal repellent, following the label instructions, and wear light colored and long-sleeved clothing.

"It's wonderful to partner with Sesame Workshop, a trusted voice for children and parents for decades," added Semrau. "We are so proud to be a part of this effort."

As a family company, SC Johnson believes in having a positive impact on communities and is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people locally and globally. As part of this commitment, SC Johnson pledged to donate $15 million in resources to combat the rising global outbreak of mosquito-borne disease. To date, more than $8 million of OFF!® products and financial donations have been provided to organizations around the world, especially those in regions with high risk of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, Zika, West Nile, chikungunya and dengue fever.

Located in Racine, Wisconsin near the company's world headquarters, the SC Johnson Entomology Research Center (ERC) was established in 1957 and remains one of the world's largest private, urban entomology research centers. For 60 years, SC Johnson researchers have developed products and solutions consumers can trust to protect them and their homes from household pests such as mosquitoes, cockroaches, ants, wasps and the common house fly. Researchers study all aspects of insect behavior, development and methods of insect control.

SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, TANA®, BAMA®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR MUSCLE® and RIDSECT®. The 131-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com

SOURCE SC Johnson