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How the rich and famous are handling the coronavirus pandemic

Justin Bieber recently took to Instagram to offer support to those affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)
By Christi Carras
Los Angeles Times
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Stars, they’re just like us — especially when it comes to freaking out a little about the coronavirus pandemic.

As the outbreak continues to take an increasingly severe toll on daily life, Tom Hanks, Lil Nas X, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and other celebrities are taking measures to help themselves — and others — protect against germs.

Making good on his promise to “keep the world posted and updated” on his health after he and wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the virus, Hanks offered some words of comfort Thursday night on social media.

“There are things we can all do to get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other, no?” the screen icon wrote, before quoting one of his most famous lines from 1992’s “A League of Their Own.”

“Remember, despite all the current events, there is no crying in baseball.”

Good hygiene practices have seen a major uptick in celebrity endorsements — particularly hand-washing for the CDC-approved 20 seconds. On Friday, pop star Mariah Carey led by example, sharing a video of herself and her kids scrubbing their hands to the tune of her 1995 hit “Fantasy.”

Earlier this week, singer Gloria Gaynor posted a similar clip of herself washing her hands while lip-syncing her 1978 classic, the aptly titled “I Will Survive.” Many artists, including Miley Cyrus and Troye Sivan, have promoted their own music while championing cleanliness.

Meanwhile, others have taken a more political tack, criticizing President Trump for his response — or lack thereof — to the public health crisis. Alyssa Milano, Patton Oswalt, Chelsea Handler and more skeptics have taken to Twitter to voice their concerns.

“Trumpers? Can we agree this isn’t a hoax?” Milano tweeted, taking an additional swipe at Fox News in the process. “Can’t you see how dangerous this president is? He’s been lying to us for weeks. Can’t you see how dangerous Fox News is? They’ve been corroborating his lies.”

Most, however, have simply delivered messages of support to anyone who has been directly affected or is feeling scared in general. Some, such as country-rap star Lil Nas X, have even pledged to help people out financially so they can “go get some food then stay inside.”

“Praying for our most vulnerable. And sending you all love today,” Kerry Washington tweeted. “Remember to cultivate your calm. Stress levels impact [health] and immunity. Gather information but also cultivate calm wherever you can. I will try to do the same.”

Here are some more celebrity reactions to the outbreak:

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Christi Carras

Christi Carras is an entertainment reporter at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a Times intern after graduating from UCLA and has also worked at Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and CNN.

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