The stars of the film “Contagion” have collaborated with scientists from Columbia University’s School of Public Health to participate in health department announcements on how to contain COVID-19, urging their fans to listen to experts, wash their hands frequently and observe the rules of “social distancing.” Among the stars, Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne and Jennifer Ehle have shared videos online in which they give advice on protecting themselves from COVID-19.
“Wash your hands because your life depends on it”, says Winslet. “Because especially now you must do it. For the life of someone you love. Or even for the life of someone you may not know, but it is worth being very careful”.
With the outbreak of the Coronavirus, “Contagion” has found itself back in the news. Specifically, downloads of “Contagion” have increased in recent weeks, while the film was ranked 10th on the iTunes movie list in the US. The film is about a deadly virus that quickly spreads around the world, causing mass panic and social disruption. Damon pointed out that the increasing download are connected to the fact that the film is about something we are all experiencing right now. The cast of Steven Soderbergh was trained by pandemic experts and health officials for the thriller, which was filmed in 2011.
The social media campaign began after Columbia University's School of Public Health contacted the stars of "Contagion" and asked them if they would be willing to do a "reunion" by participating in health department announcements. Each "Contagion" star speaks about a specific topic in their video that is making the rounds on the Internet.
Damon, who plays a hero in the film who was immune to a deadly virus that caused the pandemic, talks about “social distancing” in his video. He emphasizes that people with mild or no symptoms are still capable of transmitting the virus. “Even if you think others are healthy or that you are healthy, don’t take the risk, it’s not worth it. Every time you transmit this virus to someone else, they in turn transmit it to others, resulting in a short period of time from a few patients to hundreds or even thousands, resulting in the situation we are experiencing today.”
Fishburne, who plays a doctor in “Contagion”, noted that COVID-19 forces people around the world to change their way of life, just as happened with smallpox and polio. “Very simply, one of the best ways to avoid being infected by COVID-19 is to behave as if you already have it”, he says in the related video.
Finally, Ehle, who in the film plays a scientist who helps discover the vaccine against the deadly virus, urges people to faithfully follow the advice of scientists and health professionals, "and that means not paying attention to the voices (of those who want to promote) another agenda, no matter how powerful they may be."
