'Sesame Street' pals urging good hygiene

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Elmo and his "Sesame Street" peeps are visiting Main Street to urge U.S. children and families to practice healthy habits to prevent the spread of H1N1 virus.

Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind "Sesame Street," joined the Departments of Homeland Security, Education and Health and Human Services to launch a national public service advertising campaign in advance of the flu season and the H1N1 virus, the Health and Human Services Department said Tuesday in a news release.

Besides encouraging healthy hygiene habits, the "Sesame Street" spots promote www.flu.gov, the government's one-stop Web site for information on flu season and the H1N1 virus, formerly called swine flu.

"We are thrilled to partner with Elmo, Gordon and Sesame Workshop again to emphasize the steps kids and their parents can take to stay happy and healthy this school year," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. "Younger children and their parents are some of the people most at risk from the new H1N1 flu virus and with schools starting back up again and the weather starting to get colder, we need to do everything we can to get these important messages about how to prevent the spread of the flu out there."