Ariana Grande to people taking coronavirus crisis lightly: ‘You sound privileged’

Ariana Grande at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. Image: AFP/Valerie Macon

Ariana Grande criticized people who are taking the spread of COVID-19 lightly, saying that they “sound stupid and privileged.”

The singer aired her sentiments on those who are brushing off precautions against the coronavirus on her Twitter page earlier today, March 16.

“[I] keep hearing from a surprising amount of people statements like ’this isn’t a big deal’ / ‘we’ll be fine’ … ‘we still have to go about our lives’ and it’s really blowing my mind,” she said.

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“[I] understand if that is how [you] felt weeks ago,” Grande added, before asking her fans to read about the situation brought about by the disease. She also appealed to them to not turn a blind eye.

Grande stressed that taking the situation “that lightly” is “incredibly dangerous and selfish.”

“[The] ‘we will be fine because we’re young’ mindset is putting people who aren’t young and/or healthy in a lot of danger,” she pointed out. “[You] sound stupid and privileged and you need to care more about others. [Like] now.”

While she understands that others still have to go to work despite the virus, Grande explained that she does not mean to disrespect anyone who “doesn’t have the privilege of [canceled] work or being able to call out of their work.” However, she stressed that the disease’s spread is a “national emergency and a pandemic of global proportion.”

The singer also added that “these are the times when the world should rely on their governments to support the plan for all citizens to stay at home and lessen the threat of infection and the spread of the virus.”

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She then encouraged her followers to support H.R. 6201, which is a bill in the United States Congress. Grande explained that the said bill will provide people with “necessary financial support in terms of paid sick leave/unemployment” due to coronavirus isolation and/or prevention.

https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/1239277475198160896

While countries around the globe rush to prevent the spread of the disease, the Department of Health stated, as of this writing, that the Philippines has 140 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Out of those cases, two patients have already recovered. JB

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