September 3, 2009 4:15 PM

H1N1 Rapper Vies for $2,500 Prize

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Domestic Issues
The White House has dispatched the lovable Sesame Street resident Elmo to spread the word on ways to ward off the H1N1 flu, but for those who find the red, fluffy Muppet a little too soft, there's Dr. John D. Clarke -- the MD who can rap.

In a minute-long video, the Long Island doctor spits rhymes about washing one's hands and using hand sanitizer. Clarke is one of 10 finalists competing for a $2,500 prize from the Department of Health and Human Services for the best H1N1 prevention video. After picking the finalists from more than 200 entries, the HHS has opened up the final voting process to online viewers through Sept. 16.

Clarke's rap is catchy, but he has some stiff competition from the likes of a chorus of coughers who declare that the flu is "a lot worse than it sounds," a video featuring a "toothbrush prank" and a man who spends his day in a hazmat suit.

With the H1N1 vaccine still in development, the Obama administration is heavily promoting preventative measures to curb the spread of the flu.

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