'Contagion' stars reunite to spread COVID-19 awareness

The stars of the 2011 virus thriller 'Contagion' - a prescient film nowadays - have reunited for some public service announcements to warn about COVID-19.

Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet and Jennifer Ehle have teamed up with scientists from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health to provide four individual homemade videos. "Wash the hands like your life is determined by it," Winslet says in her PSA. "Because at this time, in particular, it might just." 

Ehle stresses that the coronavirus is novel, meaning no person is immune. "Every one of us, regardless of age or ethnicity, is at risk of setting it up," she says.

'Contagion', directed by Steven Soderbergh, explores a scenario in which a lethal and fast-moving influenza is spreading around the world. Damon, who in the film played a character who was simply immune to the hypothetical virus, also stresses hearing specialists and staying 6 feet apart. "That was a movie. That is real life," he says. "I have no reason to think that I'm immune to COVID-19. And neither do you."

Fishburne appeals to helping medical staff on the front line. "If we can slow this thing down, it'll give our doctors and our nurses in our hospitals a fighting chance to help us all get through this thing together," he says.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as for example fever and cough that get rid of in 2-3 weeks. For some, especially older adults and persons with existing health issues, it could cause more serious illness, including pneumonia and death.