Celebrities raise awareness on coronavirus
As people and nations across the globe grapple with the coronaviru s pandemic, celebrities are stepping up to the plate to give a helping hand. The virus has affected more than 110 countries and has had an unprecedented impact, placing major cities in lockdown and implicating jobs around the world.
Despite the rising levels of fear and uncertainty, it hasn't stopped those who can, including some of the biggest stars, from speaking up about the pandemic. From acts of kindness and messages of support to major donations that will help those who are sick and at risk or out of work, here is how different artistes are making a positive impact and giving back to those in need.
Celebrated actors Sabila Nur and Nusrat Imrose Tisha have posted vital information about the pandemic on their social media accounts. While Tisha sent out an awareness post about the importance of washing our hands and keeping our cellphones clean regularly at this time of crisis, Sabila posted an infographic from WHO on ways to protect ourselves and reducing the risks of the coronavirus infection. Arifin Shuvoo, on the other hand, posted a picture of himself wearing a face mask, as he travels in an auto rickshaw.
With several Bollywood filmmakers' associations, including the Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association and the Producers Guild of India announcing a suspension on all film, TV and web series shoots from March 19 to 31, the Indian entertainment industry is expected to be hit hard on several fronts. The biggest impact of this move will be felt by the daily wage earning crew members, including spot boys, light assistants and set workers. Subsequently, filmmaker Sudhir Mishra suggested that the industry should set up a fund for this particular sector that would be most affected by a shut down. Other directors like Anubhav Sinha, Hansal Mehta, Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap agreed with the suggestion and offered to help and contribute to the proposed fund. The president of the Indian Film and Television Directors' Association suggested that they donate to the Federation of Western India Cine Employees account that helps film workers with ration and other basic needs. However, Sudhir Mishra and the rest of the filmmakers felt it would be more effective if they donated directly to the daily wage workers they had last worked with.
Among the actors in India, Kareena Kapoor, who recently joined Instagram used the medium to share a note about the rising information and misinformation around the novel coronavirus, asking her followers to not panic. Priyanka Chopra also urged her followers to trust UNICEF and wrote, "Misinformation during a health crisis can leave us unprotected, spread fear & panic. Knowing the facts is key to protecting yourself & your family. Visit the @UNICEF website for reliable information on how to talk to children about #coronavirus". Amitabh Bachchan tweeted a picture of his hand with a 'Home Quarantined' stamp on it, asking people to stay safe. The actor has been actively spreading the word on the coronavirus on social media. He recently penned a poem and posted a video of his rendition of the same on Twitter. He also cancelled his weekly Sunday meeting with his fans at his residence. The Mumbai municipal corporation thanked Bachchan for spreading the word on home quarantine. Dilip Kumar, another Bollywood icon, shared on Twitter that he is completely under isolation as a precautionary measure to avoid any infection due to the coronavirus.
On the other hand, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have pledged $1 million to Feeding America and Food Banks Canada, two organisations who assist low income families and the elderly. Earlier this week, Lady Gaga announced that her cosmetic company Haus Labs would be donating 20 percent of its online profits from the previous week to local food banks in Los Angeles and New York City. Justin Bieber pledged to donate $29,000 to the Beijing Chunmiao Charity Foundation, a children's charity in China to help with coronavirus relief efforts. Moreover, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cancel concerts worldwide, John Legend, Pink, Keith Urban, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and more musicians have taken to social media to deliver live performances to their fans.