Agents of SHIELD Star Chloe Bennet Urges People to Avoid Calling COVID-19 the “Chinese Virus”

Updates on the coronavirus continue to be the top news stories as people all over the world self-quarantine with the hopes of avoiding getting sick and/or spreading sickness. Many celebrities have been sharing updates of their current status, with big names like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson and Idris Elba testing positive for COVID-19. Last night, another star took to social media to share a passionate, five-page post about why we shouldn’t be referring to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus.” Chloe Bennet is best known for playing Agent Daisy Johnson/Quake on Agents of SHIELD.

“The Asian American community needs allies right now. Please speak out against the racist Cheeto in Chief,” Bennet wrote on Instagram. The five images in her post begin with the assurance that she’s “in no way attempting to minimize the macro-economic crisis we’re now facing” and that “pointing fingers will not solve any health problems.” However, she wants to make it clear that calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” is “unacceptable.” “I’m not ignorant to the fact that this outbreak, form what we know, originated in China, but guys, we are WAY past that now,” she wrote. “This is NOT a time for division, this is a time for unity.” She also included a list of “non-racially charged nicknames” that you can call COVID-19, for example, “The Rona,” “The Viddy,” and “Vid Vid.” You can read the full post below:

Bennet will soon be seen in the seventh and final season of Agents of SHIELD, which she promises will please long term fans. Bennet isn’t the only member of SHIELD to post about the current pandemic. Her co-star, Ming-Na Wen, wrote about the panic buying of toilet paper shortly before it became one of the hottest shopping commodities.

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.

All six seasons of Agents of SHIELD are now streaming on Netflix, and season seven is expected to be begin sometime this year.