It goes without saying that we are in the midst of a time of major uncertainty. With the numbers changing every day and the virus spreading, there’s no telling when this will all be over. But as the advisories are reporting, things are going to get worse before they get better.
One thing we can be sure about is the overwhelming delivery of advisories and health tips to practice during the pandemic, like the infamous social distancing protocol.
By now, most of us have heard about the Contagion film, which shares several eerie similarities with the current reality that is the Coronavirus pandemic. You can read more about the comparison between the film and our global pandemic in my fellow co-writer, LaVonne Patoir’s recent article.
But what’s even crazier, is the fact that the film and reality have been blurred together with a public service announcement from the cast of Contagion. In collaboration with Columbia University, cast members Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Ehle and Laurence Fishburne gathered virtually to speak to the pandemic and ways to practice safety to prevent contracting the virus or spreading it to others.
The cast spoke about the knowledge they obtained during the filming process for the film, in which they were educated by experts on the set of their 2011 thriller.
Matt Damon spoke about social distancing and abiding by guidelines put in place by government officials, including keeping a distance of at least 6 feet or sheltering in place. Damon expressed that although you may not show signs or symptoms of the virus, that does not mean that you’re incapable of spreading it.
Kate Winslet also contributed with a weighty comment regarding proper sanitization and health practices. According to an article on BBC, she expressed, “Wash your hands like your life depends on it. Because right now, in particular, it just might. Or the life of someone you love. Or even the life of someone you might not know but is still deserving of your consideration.”
Laurence Fishburne also spoke to behaviors to practice, by saying that perhaps one of the best ways to prevent the spread of the virus is to act as if you actually have it. Jennifer Ehle also chimed in on the concept of widespread panic and the possibility of social disorder. Ehle stated, “It requires fear and misinformation to spread. We don’t need scientists to cure that, just compassion and common sense.”
In many ways, this may seem like a gimmick to advertise the safety precautions of the coronavirus, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that these actors – while playing a part in a movie – were educated on these practices long before they became a reality to the world. This is substantial as well when you consider the extent that these artists went to put this message out there. Clearly, these times of uncertainty have created a need for messages like these, but we can be certain that by listening to them and putting these practices into action we may see an end to this pandemic.
Then the film would really translate into reality.
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