SINGAPORE: With their powers combined, five “superheroes” have joined Singapore’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The characters, collectively known as the Virus Vanguard, look to be part of a government campaign to spread the word about the country’s “circuit breaker” measures and good hygiene habits.
“In a parallel world, the Virus Vanguard is the advance guard in our COVID-19 battle,” read a description on the Gov.sg website.
“The team is fighting on multiple fronts, an essential strategy to keep the enemy and its cronies at bay.”
One of the superheroes is Dr Disinfector who, according to Gov.sg, is able to detect the presence of viruses and bacteria through sight, smell and sound.
“Wields a multifunctional treatment gun with various capsules containing antidotes and boosters,” said the website.
There is also Fake News Buster, who “wields the Mallet of Truth and wears a suit with force enhancing nodes to generate power when knocking sense into people”.
MAWA Man – whose name stands for Must Always Walk Alone – enforces safe distancing by using “repelling power” to push objects and people back, aided by a “digital distance meter” through his eyes.
He is described as a “fanatical Manchester United fan who grew up in the 80s when Liverpool kept winning titles and he was constantly taunted by his two Liverpool fan brothers”.
Members of the Virus Vanguard superhero team as depicted on the Gov.sg Facebook page. (Photo: Facebook/Gov.sg)
The other members of the team are Circuit Breaker – a highly advanced robot similar to those in Japanese mecha anime, piloted by a 12-year-old girl named Mini Moh – and Care-leh Dee, a “trillionaire philanthropist” who uses empathy to “absorb all negativity”.
“Stay tuned for our first issue coming up very soon!” said a post on the Gov.sg Facebook page on Sunday (Apr 19).
CNA has contacted the Ministry of Communications and Information for more details.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education launched five superhero mascots aimed at encouraging children to practice good hygiene amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Called the Soaper 5. each character, like Mask Up Mei Mei and Super Soaper Soffy, are associated with a different message to teach students how they can play their part.
