Posted in: Current News, Pop Culture, science | Tagged: coronavirus, cover-19, l.a. care health plan, leonard nimoy, live long and prosper, star trek

Leonard Nimoy's Family Joins Health Plan To Boost Fight Against COVID

There are not a lot of normal intersections between the far future and the mechanics of delivering health care, but in the face of a global pandemic, situations make for, as they say, strange bedfellows. With the world in the grips of wrestling with COVID-19, the family of science fiction legend Leonard Nimoy saw a series of billboards around Los Angeles and appreciated the imagery, projecting the idea of people protecting themselves and others from the ravages of the latest coronavirus. After a lengthy series of conversations between the Nimoy family, ViacomCBS and L.A. Care, the nation's largest public health plan, a plan was launched to encourage vaccinations and mask usage.

"The phrase 'Live Long and Prosper' spreads a message that my dad strongly believed in — not only for a long and healthy life, but it also represents peace, tolerance, diversity, and unity. This project really is a continuation of his mission on lung health," said Julie Nimoy, the actor's daughter who also runs the Los Angeles-based Remembering Leonard Nimoy with her husband, David Knight. "We are so grateful that L.A. Care was eager to work with us, and their team developed a wonderful concept that will capture attention and ensure the message is seen."

From the press release at the L.A. Care website:

The Live Long and Prosper billboard will feature a masked individual and will include a message encouraging people to get vaccinated. Vaccinations and masking are two things that L.A. Care has long been promoting. Collaborating on the Live Long and Prosper campaign, with the generous permission of ViacomCBS, was a perfect way to amplify the message in communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

"Dare I say; it was the logical thing to do. We were honored to be approached by the Nimoy family after they saw our billboards showing masked individuals," said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. "Leonard Nimoy and the beloved phrase 'Live Long and Prosper' will forever hold a place in our hearts, and we know they can help us get out the word about some very important steps that will help us all protect ourselves and our loved ones."

You might see these Star Trek-inspired images on the streets of Los Angeles County or through social media campaigns from L.A. Care Health Plan. Given the fact that the potential for a variant-driven wave of US cases and ongoing spread in Europe in the coming months is real, one can only hold the kind of Roddenberry-esque hope that mankind can find staying masked up and taking precautions not only fascinating but necessary.

Source: L.A. Care official website

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