Global youth competition on influenza and COVID-19 prevention and control

30 June 2026
News release
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WHO invites students and young professionals to participate in this youth competition by developing brief videos that highlight the importance of influenza and/or COVID-19 prevention and control. The videos are encouraged to be innovative, address misinformation/myths, and encourage their community to protect themselves from seasonal influenza and COVID-19.

Competition theme: “How do you shield your circle from respiratory infections, like influenza and COVID-19?” 
Eligibility: Participants must be students or young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35.
Competition Prompts: The submission must include a brief video that responds to one or more of the following prompts:   
  • Prompt 1: Who needs protection from seasonal influenza/COVID-19? How can vulnerable groups protect themselves? Why is it important?  
  • Prompt 2: How do you respond to someone who has doubts about influenza and/or COVID-19 prevention and control in your community?   
  • Prompt 3: What myths about influenza and/or COVID-19 prevention and control are circulating in your community? How do you address them?   

Instructions for participants: 

  • Participants must address at least one of the competition prompts in their video.
  • Students can work independently or in teams. 
  • Video can be a maximum of 90 seconds (1.5 minutes).
  • Students can submit up to three videos. 
  • Submitted videos are encouraged to be creative. Video styles can include but are not limited to storytelling, interview, reel, animation, drawings, poem, dialogue, or other creative formats. If AI is used to generate any portion of the submission, it must be acknowledged in the submission form.
  • The video may be in any language but must include English subtitles.

Submissions will be assessed on the following criteria:

  1. Video message aligns with the competition theme and responds to at least one of the competition prompts
  2. Originality and creativity 
  3. Accuracy and clarity of health information 
  4. Visual style and storytelling quality 
  5. The video includes English subtitles 
  6. Responses to the submission form questions including the: 
  • Motivation/rationale for the video 
  • Prompts selected and how they were addressed 
  • Potential impact of the video
  • Feasibility for dissemination in the community 
  • Confirmation that all filmed individuals consented to their appearance in the video and are over the age of 18
  • Confirmation that the individuals submitting the video are between the ages of 18-35 years 

Timeline: The competition and the submission form open on Monday 3 August 2026. All submissions must be received through the designated Microsoft Forms by Sunday 13 September 2026 at 23:45 CEST. 

Review process: WHO subject matter experts will review and assess the videos using a designated rubric. WHO will notify the winner(s) in October 2026.

Winning videos: There will be one global winning video and up to six videos highlighted as runners-up. The winning videos will be featured by WHO on the competition webpage. The student(s) who submitted the winning video will:

  • Be invited to present their video on a global influenza/COVID-19 prevention and control-focused webinar in October 2026 and
  • Receive a certificate from WHO featuring their name(s) and the video title