Meet Susana Distancia: Mexico unveils superhero mascot promoting 'healthy distance' in a bid to halt coronavirus spread

Mexico's government has taken an unconventional approach in battling the coronavirus outbreak, rolling out a superhero mascot to promote "healthy" social distancing.

The character, named Susana Distancia (a play on the words 'healthy distance'), appeared in a government health video, urging citizens to keep at least 1.5 meters from each other in public places.

The character is represented in a see-through bubble of a "healthy distance," being attacked by sinister-looking coronaviruses. The germs, however, fail to penetrate the distance bubble while Susana Distancia urges people to follow her advice.

The superhero video promptly began trending – if not going viral – on social media over the weekend. While the government has surely succeeded in drawing attention to the social distancing issue, its call was greeted by a mixed reaction.

Many people accused the government of double standards, pointing the finger at top officials, including President Manuel Lopez Obrador, who are seemingly not following the social distancing advice themselves.

Others, however, argued that while social distancing is useful for slowing down the outbreak, stricter measures are needed as well.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 300,000 globally, killing over 13,000. Mexico has registered some 250 cases of the disease, including at least two deaths.

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