Mumps have gone viral — in a good way.
A cheeky new Ontario government ad blitz to raise awareness of mumps among young people has become an Internet hit, achieving notoriety on the influential U.S.-based website The Huffington Post.
And Health Minister David Caplan couldn’t be happier with the province’s campaign to let Ontarians born between 1970 and 1991 know they may need a second vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella.
The spot that makes The Huffington Post’s “nine weirdest PSAs (public service announcements) ever” list is set in a locker room after a hockey game.
A young man inside a plastic bubble, moaning in agony, rolls into the room.
“You missed the game. You don’t look so good,” says one of the players.
“I don’t feel so good … take a look at these,” says bubble boy, unzipping his pants. The hockey player recoils in horror at the sight of his friend’s swollen testicles.
“Oh, evil balls, put them away! Why am I looking at your balls? I don’t like you,” shouts the player as his mumps-afflicted buddy screams in pain.
