On Monday, comedy legend Mel Brooks and his author son Max Brooks teamed up for a helpful and humorous video outlining novel coronavirus-related tips, emphasizing that folks “#DontBeASpreader,” especially the elderly, who are more likely to have a fatal reaction to the virus.
“Hi, I’m Max Brooks. I’m 47 years old,” the younger Brooks started the video, before gesturing toward his father, who is standing behind a glass window. “This is my dad Mel Brooks,” he said. “Hi, dad! He’s 93.”
“If I get the coronavirus, I’ll probably be okay,” the “World War Z” author told viewers. “But if I give it to him, he could give it to Carl Reiner, who could give it to Dick Van Dyke, and before I know it, I’ve wiped out a whole generation of comedic legends!”
“When it comes to coronavirus, I have to think about who I can infect, and so should you,” Max said. “So practice social distancing, avoid crowds, wash your hands, keep six feet away from people, and if you’ve got the option to stay home, just stay home.”
“Do your part, don’t be a spreader. Right, dad?” Max asked his father.
“Right!” Mel Brooks responded. “Go home! Go!”
“I’m going, I’m going!” Max said. “Love you!”
On Sunday night, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) emphasized social distancing, advising gatherings be limited to 50 people for the next eight weeks in an attempt to slow the spread of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
“The recommendation, the CDC notes, does not apply to day-to-day operations of organizations such as schools or businesses,” The Daily Wire reported. “Gatherings involving higher-risk individuals, the elderly and people with pre-existing heart and lung conditions, should be canceled, officials recommend.”
“Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals,” the advisory from the CDC said.
“Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States,” the agency noted.
“Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing,” the CDC added. “When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.”
In the United States, there are currently 4,237 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with a total of 72 deaths.
According to Forbes, the only state in the union without a confirmed case of coronavirus is West Virginia. Washington tops the list with the most confirmed cases at 769, New York comes in second with 746 cases, and California rounds out the top three with 458 cases.
WATCH:
A message from me and my dad, @Melbrooks. #coronavirus #DontBeASpreader pic.twitter.com/Hqhc4fFXbe
— Max Brooks (@maxbrooksauthor) March 16, 2020
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