Pritzker Launches ‘Healthy Holidays to You’ Campaign Demonstrating Safer Ways to Celebrate This Year
As Second Wave of Virus Outpaces First in Illinois, Public Health Officials Urge Residents to Stay Home as Much as Possible

[December 16, 2020]   With a new wave of COVID-19 sweeping the nation and concerning trends here in Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker launched a new awareness campaign today to encourage residents to take safety precautions throughout the upcoming holiday season to protect themselves and their families — and ultimately save lives.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is recommending that residents stay home as much as possible and only leave for essential activities. To provide safer ways to celebrate, ‘Healthy Holidays to You’ highlights what doctors and scientists consider top methods to reduce your risk of contracting or spreading the virus: limiting gatherings to your immediate family or keeping them virtual, maintaining 6 feet of distance from others and wearing a mask, whether you’re indoors or out.

“Ahead of the holiday season, IDPH has provided recommendations for keeping you and your family safe from the virus,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are making every effort to remind people what epidemiologists and other infectious disease specialists say are the best ways to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19. Traditions are so important to all of us – but this year we all need to celebrate a bit differently.”

“This year’s holiday season is going to be difficult and challenging for many of us,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “This campaign was designed to emphasize the importance of making safer decisions and checking in on loved ones during this time in order to stay safe and strong for each other.”

Developed by Illinois-based ad agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul, the holiday campaign pays tribute to beloved holiday songs and traditions with its suggestions for safe practices throughout the season. “Over the wifi and through the zoom to grandmother’s house we go” and “if you’re going to jingle, jingle six feet apart” are a couple of the light-hearted advisories with serious messages that the television spots and billboards will feature across the state. The scenarios brought to life in the campaign demonstrate proven ways to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, according to Illinois Department of Public Health epidemiologists and researchers modeling COVID-19 in Illinois.

The campaign will reach Illinoisans statewide in both English and Spanish through a variety of traditional and online media channels, including cable, broadcast and connected TV; streaming audio and radio; billboards and bus shelters; digital display and video; print and social media. Like other coronavirus-related expenses, costs are reimbursable by the federal government.

To find more safety information and tips for the season visit AllIn.Illinois.gov.

To download the videos, audio and images for the ‘Healthy Holidays to You’ campaign, CLICK HERE.

‘Healthy Holidays To You’ is part of the state’s larger All in Illinois effort, backed by scientists and public health experts, imploring Illinoisans to protect themselves and their neighbors from COVID-19 by wearing masks in public, limiting gatherings with people outside of your immediate household and practicing social distancing.

The campaign was developed by Illinois-based ad agency OKRP and leveraged illustration and production partner Framestore in Chicago to ensure that it was a COVID-19 safe production. Squeak E. Clean Studios produced the music and audio, utilizing SAG-AFTRA talent for voiceover. The campaign is supported by TimeZoneOne and Spurrier Group and guided by data insights from the state's COVID-19 modeling team and Civis Analytics.

The Illinois Department of Human Services offers an emotional support resource for those feeling COVID-19-related stresses throughout the holiday season. Support is free of charge and anonymous. Those interested can access it by texting “TALK” to 552020 or “HABLAR” for Spanish-language services.

[Text from file received from ]