Walker, Harold M.

Wellbee

Poster from the Alaska Division of Public Health featuring Wellbee and a booster rocket taking off from Earth.

This 1964 poster featured what at that time, was CDC’s national symbol of public health, the “Wellbee”, who here was reminding the public to get a booster vaccination.

CDC used the Wellbee in its comprehensive marketing campaign that used newspapers, posters, leaflets, radio and television, as well as personal appearances at public health events. Wellbee’s first assignment was to sponsor Sabin Type-II oral polio vaccine campaigns across the United States. Later, Wellbee’s character was incorporated into other health promotion campaigns including diphtheria and tetanus immunizations, hand-washing, physical fitness, and injury prevention. This artifact can be found in the Global Health Odyssey, which is the CDC’s museum featuring many various public health-related artifacts.

PHIL ID 7220

http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/details.asp?pid=7220

David J. Sencer CDC Museum