Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are donating $1 million to organisations helping people impacted by Covid-19.
In a post on Instagram, Reynolds said "Covid-19 has brutally impacted older adults and low income families. Blake & I are donating $1 million to be split between Feeding America and Food Banks Canada. If you can give, these orgs need our help.
“Take care of your bodies and hearts. Leave room for joy. Call someone who’s isolated and might need connection.”
Many other stars are urging people to stay indoors in a bid to stop the pandemic.
“Guys – I follow you online and I love you guys so much and need to express my concern that things aren’t being taken seriously enough right now,” Taylor Swift wrote to her 128 million followers on Instagram. “I’m seeing a lot of get togethers and hangs and parties still happening. This is the time to cancel plans, actually truly isolate as much as you can, and don’t assume that because you don’t feel sick that you aren’t possibly passing something on to someone elderly or vulnerable to this. It’s a really scary time but we need to make some social sacrifices right now.”
Ariana Grande urged people to support the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which includes paid sick leave and free virus tests.
Superstar Lady Gaga also urged her followers to stay home: "So I talked to some doctors and scientists. It’s not the easiest for everyone right now but the kindest/healthiest thing we can do is self-quarantine and not hang out with people over 65 and in large groups.
“I wish I could see my parents and grandmas right now but it’s much safer to not so I don’t get them sick in case I have it. I’m hanging at home with my dogs. I love you world, we’ll all get through this. Trust me, I talked to God – she said we’re gonna be OK.”
Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio has shut down his restaurants in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.
“Today I’ve made the hardest decision I’ve ever faced in my 40 years in this industry, to temporarily close Craft and our family of restaurants in NYC and L.A as well as our corporate office after dinner service this evening,” he wrote in an Instagram post. "We are taking our lead from the science community, public heath agencies, and the federal, state, and local leaders who have made it clear: the time for collective, coordinated action is now.
“Our mission has always been ‘Make People Happy’ but we can no longer do that without jeopardizing the wellbeing of our family of staff, our purveyors, and our guests,” he continued. “We will do everything we can to support our employees through this transition and help each other stay safe. For now, we plan to work with local authorities to help our communities get through this crisis.”
