The top doctor in the US has called on Kylie Jenner and social-media influencers to help get young people to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously.
The US Surgeon General Jerome Adams appeared on "Good Morning America" on Thursday to talk with the show's anchors about efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus, of which there are more than 200,000 cases reported worldwide. Adams discussed the role of millennials in stopping the spread of coronavirus, the COVID-19 disease, and asked influencers to do their part in engaging the younger audience.
"What I really think we need to do ... is get our influencers," Adams told "GMA" host Michael Strahan. "We need to get Kylie Jenner, we need to get our social-media influencers out there in helping folks understand that, look, this is serious. This is absolutely serious. People are dying."
Aside from mentioning Kylie Jenner — who has 166 million Instagram followers — the surgeon general also name-dropped professional basketball players Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell. The two NBA stars recently tested positive for the coronavirus, despite not showing symptoms.
More than 9,000 worldwide have died from coronavirus. Although 80% of the deaths in the US have been in people age 65 and older, a recent analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that millennials and young people are at a greater risk of showing severe symptoms than previously thought.
As the virus continues to spread in the US, an increasing number of measures are being taken to "flatten the curve" and prevent coronavirus' escalation. Many companies have ordered employees to work from home, and cities have shut down large gatherings. Nonetheless, college students have been seen partying in Florida while on spring break, and some millennials have shirked orders to attempt social distancing.
A 21-year-old college student recently went viral on video-sharing app TikTok for trying to start the "coronavirus challenge," in which she filmed herself licking an airplane toilet seat.
"Think about your grandmother, think about your grandfather," Adams said in his "GMA" appearance. "Think about the fact that you're spreading disease, which could ultimately be what kills them."
You can watch Adams' full interview on "Good Morning America" below:
—Good Morning America (@GMA) March 19, 2020
