The Goop lifestyle guru donned a face mask while flying to Paris, though health experts say such a precaution is only necessary for someone who has coronavirus.
In a 2011 medical thriller, Gwyneth Paltrow played a Patient Zero figure in a global flu pandemic, who dies about 10 minutes into the movie. With this sort of professional experience, the Goop lifestyle guru apparently feels she has the responsibility and authority to speak out on precautions people should take as the world faces the spread of Covid-19.
Paltrow, 47, on Wednesday posted a selfie of herself wearing a mask before jetting off to Europe. The Academy Award winner tried to bring some levity to the moment, while also expressing the worry and disbelief many probably share over the warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that U.S. communities should prepare for the possibility of outbreaks of the virus.
“En route to Paris,” Paltrow captioned her photo, with the mask obscuring all but her wide eyes. “Paranoid? Prudent? Panicked? Placid? Pandemic? Propaganda? Paltrow’s just going to go ahead and sleep with this thing on the plane. I’ve already been in this movie. Stay safe. Don’t shake hands. Wash hands frequently.”
The line, “I’ve already been in this movie,” refers to “Contagion,” in which Paltrow plays a Minneapolis businesswoman who brings a lethal and fast-moving influenza back to the United States after a trip to Hong Kong.
When the coronavirus outbreak in China first made news last month, people started wondering on social media whether we were living in a real-life version of “Contagion,” the movie that was directed by Steven Soderbergh and also starred Matt Damon, as Paltrow’s husband, and Kate Winslet, as a CDC doctor struggling to contain the virus.
Paltrow’s Instagram post comes shortly after Paramount announced it had halted filming in Venice for the latest “Mission:Impossible” movie starring Tom Cruise, because of concerns about the outbreak of coronavirus in the Italy. That country has so far recorded the worst outbreak of coronavirus in Europe, with more than 370 cases so far, including 12 deaths.
While Paltrow managed to acquire a rather elaborate looking black mask to wear, others who wish to take similar precautions may find it hard to get their hands on an even more basic model. In the United States, masks are gone from store shelves at major drug store chains such as CVS, this news organization reported Wednesday. The stockrooms of online retailers, including Amazon, also are empty.
The CDC, however, doesn’t recommend face masks for those who aren’t sick or caring for someone with the disease.
“At present, the level of risk in the U.S. is very low, and routine wearing of masks is not indicated,” said Dr. Peter Rabinowitz, a University of Washington professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, family medicine and global health. “Masks in general are not the first line of defense against respiratory infections. Much more important are frequent hand-washing, keeping your distance from people who are sick and coughing, and if you are sick, staying home or if necessary wearing a mask to avoid coughing as many droplets into the air.”
