‘Not Today, Flu’: Sanofi Engages Seinfeld Star Jason Alexander to Boost Flu Vaccinations This Fall

“Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander takes on the role of guardian angel in a new Sanofi campaign to encourage flu vaccinations.

Known for his funny, offbeat George Costanza character, Alexander takes on a sweeter but still humorous role to protect his charge from “life’s little disasters.” While he catches falling pigeon droppings in his hat, changes expired milk and wards off insects, he likens his guardian angel role to flu vaccination.

“This kind of protection doesn’t have to be supernatural. Because like me, a flu shot can help prevent nasty complications of the flu, such as pneumonia, heart attack and stroke,” he says in the online video.

The Sanofi awareness campaign called “Not Today, Flu” in conjunction with the American Nurses Association aims to increase flu vaccinations in what is expected to be a difficult and potentially longer flu season.

The 2021 fall flu season was dampened by self-imposed social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a late resurgence into June, along with a large rise in flu cases in the southern half of the world in 2022, has officials concerned about the just-started season north of the equator.

“We need to make sure there’s a good public health response to getting patients and individuals immunized — and putting the focus back on getting flu shots yearly to do our part to prevent a potentially bad flu season,” Ken said. Paulino, Sanofi’s head of US adult vaccines.

The CDC recommends flu vaccinations for everyone six months and older in September and October this year, similar to previous guidelines. However, it added this year a specific recommendation for people 65 and older to receive one of the three higher-dose or adjuvanted Fluzone, Flublok or Fluad vaccines. Sanofi makes both Fluzone and Flublok.

The “Not Today, Flu” digital campaign includes a dedicated website with resources such as a local flu vaccine finder, along with media interviews by Alexander and social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok featuring the campaign’s TikTok handle.@nottodayflu.

Spanish-language versions of the campaign will also run alongside a bilingual media tour and partnerships with Spanish-speaking influencers to “address persistent flu disparities in racial and ethnic minority communities,” Sanofi said.