The novel coronavirus continues to spread throughout the world, and Hollywood is no exception. A handful of celebrities have tested positive for COVID-19. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were the first big names to reveal their diagnosis and were followed by Daniel Dae Kim, Debi Mazar, and a couple of others. One celebrity who is also on the list is Idris Elba, who revealed he tested positive for COVID-19 about ten days ago. Yesterday, the actor, who recently finished filming The Suicide Squad, posted an update about his health. However, the tweet wasn’t his only form of communication. According to CNN, Elba also took to Instagram Live to condemn those who are accusing him of lying about his diagnosis.
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During his broadcast on Tuesday, Elba called the rumors that he’s being paid to pretend to have COVID-10 “stupid” and “absolute bullsh*t.” “Test-shaming is, like, counterproductive. I don’t see what people get out of that,” he explained. “And also, like, this idea that someone like myself is gonna be paid to say I’ve got coronavirus — that’s absolute bullsh*t, such stupidness,” he continued. Elba added that spreading rumors that celebrities are lying about their diagnosis is the “quickest way to get people sick that way, because there’s no benefit to me and Sabrina [Dhowre Elba] sitting here.”
Here’s what Elba said in his original message about contracting COVID-19 (note: this was before his wife was also confirmed to have tested positive): “This morning I got some test results back for coronavirus, and it came back positive. Yeah. And it sucks,” he began. “Listen: I’m doing okay, Sabrina hasn’t been tested, and she’s doing okay. I didn’t have any symptoms. I got tested because I realized I was exposed to someone who also tested positive. I found out last Friday that they were tested positive; I quarantined myself immediately and got tested, and got the results back today.”
“Beyond that, there are people out there who aren’t showing symptoms, and that can easily spread it, okay? So now’s a real time to be really vigilant about washing your hands, and keeping your distance,” Elba continued. “We’ve told our families, they’re very supportive. We’ve told our colleagues. And transparency is probably the best thing for this right now. If you’re feeling ill, if you feel like you should be tested or feel like you’ve been exposed, do something about it. Alright? It’s really important. We live in a divided world right now, we can all feel it, it’s been bullsh*t. But now’s the time for solidarity, now’s the time for thinking about each other.”
For those who are worried about the spread of the coronavirus, the CDC offers a litany of tips, including covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding large gatherings or close contact with people who are sick, and washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
