A Superhero style ad is displayed with COVID-19 comics at the El Sol Neighborhood Education Center for arrivals to a Covid-19 superhero themed play on August 19, 2021 in San Bernardino, California.聽 Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it鈥檚 Captain Empathy, here to vanquish misinformation about vaccines in a Hollywood-style twist on the fight against COVID-19. With equal measures of 鈥渒er-pow!鈥� and kitsch, the caped crusader battles the evil villain Coronavirus, with medical science as his superpower. Captain Empathy, who cuts a heroic dash in blue and yellow, disarms his nemesis by convincing two young people to get immunized, in a piece of educational theatre in San Bernadino, near Los Angeles. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
SAN BERNARDINO,聽 United States 鈥� Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it鈥檚 Captain Empathy, a superhero ready to vanquish misinformation about vaccines in a Hollywood-style twist on the fight against COVID-19.
Wearing a yellow cape, the warrior battles the evil Coronavirus with medical science as his superpower in a piece of educational theater in San Bernardino, near Los Angeles, California. The hero disarms his nemesis by convincing two young people to get immunized.
鈥淲e thought of this play as a way to educate people about the importance of vaccines, especially young people,鈥� says director Valentina Sanabria.
鈥淭here are many people who are resisting the vaccine鈥� because of rumors that it contains a microchip, or because鈥� not enough time has passed to take a good look and educate themselves,鈥� she says.
Vaccines in the United States are free and widely available for anyone over the age of 12 who wants them, but just 51 percent of the population is fully immunized against Covid-19.
The low vaccination rate has doctors worried. They say that a recent surge in cases 鈥� driven by the infectious Delta variant 鈥� is largely affecting the unvaccinated, particularly in conservative southern states, among ethnic minorities and in poorer communities.
鈥淐aptain Empathy vs. Covid-19鈥� is a community-based effort to counter the skepticism about vaccines, with the spikey-shelled villain seen spreading lies about the effects of the jab.
鈥淲e are doing this to fight back against the misinformation,鈥� says Natanael Chavez, who plays the hero. 鈥淣ot being vaccinated puts the whole family at risk.鈥�
With great power comes great responsibility, but, it appears, Captain Empathy is equal to the task, and has already won over at least one cast member.
鈥淚 thought that since I already had Covid, I already had antibodies and I didn鈥檛 need to get vaccinated,鈥� says Julia Perez, 26, who plays one of the girls initially refusing the jab.
鈥淗ere they let me know that it鈥檚 important,鈥� said Perez, who, like her character, is now ready to book her shot.