The popular character Mr Bean has become the face of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) latest move on Monday to introduce a series of key points about staying safe and maintaining social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across the globe.
The comedy character, who is known in both cartoon and live-action form, was voiced in this animated short by creator Rowan Atkinson.
In the clip by the WHO, the character walks into frame and pulls down a screen entitled 'Mr Bean's Essential COVID-19 Checklist!'
The screen has difficulty staying down before shooting back up and almost dragging the beloved character with it.
Upon finally managing to secure it in place, the screen reads a list of bullet points on how to remain safe.
Here's an animated Mr. Bean appearing in this PSA from the WHO: pic.twitter.com/t0kTZAjDPJ
— Jay Borselle (@JayWBZ) June 22, 2020
Covid-19's main symptoms, which Mr Bean warns of, include high temperature, a persistent cough, and loss of taste and smell.
The animated clip was put together by Project Everyone, a non-profit agency created by Richard Curtis, the co-writer of the Mr Bean television show, who is working on communications as part of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
"We are delighted to work with the WHO on this Mr Bean sketch and to support health messaging around COVID-19", he said.
"It's key that we work with creative partners - and that all sectors come together to continue to get messages out about how we can tackle COVID-19."
"I'm not quite sure which sector Mr Bean belongs to, but we're delighted to have him on board", Curtis added.
WHO's director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the virus "affects us all" and "we need to use all tools and avenues at our disposal to share life-saving information with all people around the world".
He expressed his gratitude to the creators and for the ability to use the "voice and talents" of the creators to "spread vital advice on physical distancing, hygiene and knowing the symptoms".
Atkinson came up with the Mr Bean character while studying at Oxford University and has played him in both movies and television shows.
