Tom Hanks’ Coronavirus Causes Twitter to Freak out With Memes

After Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson announced that they have tested positive for COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, Twitter reacted in true social media form: memes. On Wednesday night, the couple, who had traveled to Australia for pre-production on Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley biopic, revealed that they received positive test results after they “felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches.”

“To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive,” he continued.

“Well, now. What to do next?” he asked. “The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety require. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?”

The announcement was immediately met with reactions from concerned fans, and among the mix of people sending well wishes the couple’s way, were plenty more who shared their sadness in meme-form.

Keep scrolling to see how fans some fans are using a little humor to react to the news.

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“Tom Hanks is sick, basketball is cancelled,” wrote one person, adding a Gif from Dumb and Dumber showing Jim Carey’s Lloyd yelling, “Our pets heads are falling off!””

“Coronavirus has no f–ing chance of beating Tom Hanks,” wrote somebody else before going on to list some of Hanks’ onscreen counterparts’ triumphs. “Survived on an island alone Landed a plane in the Hudson Fended off Pirates Come through the HIV/Aids thing Fought in 2 separate wars Woke up as an adult and got a job.”

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“You know the [coronavirus] is officially a problem when Tom Hanks gets it of all people,” tweeted somebody else with a Gif from Hanks’ notable Golden Globes meme face. “Tom F–ing Hanks!”

“America before Tom Hanks tested positive for [COVID-19],” shared somebody else, who added an Office Gif of Michael sitting at his desk and saying, ‘All I can do right now is put on a brave face.”

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“Tom Hanks is diagnosed with Coronavirus which proves that there are some things even Forrest Gump can’t keep running away from,” commented another fan of the actor.

“Ok but if there is eventually a film about Tom Hanks being diagnosed with COVID-19/Coronavirus who will play Tom Hanks because if it were about anyone else, Tom Hanks would play them but because it’s actually Tom Hanks, who plays Tom Hanks???” wondered somebody else. “And if Tom Hanks plays himself will that create a singularity in the space-time continuum, a sudden powerful Tom Hanksception that destroys all that is and ever was and ever will be?”

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At this time, it is unclear when or how Hanks and Wilson contracted the virus. Speaking in a press conference just after Queensland confirmed seven more cases of COVID-19, officials from Queensland Health, the Australian government department overseeing the outbreak of the disease in that state, said that they “believe all seven contracted the illness outside Australia and travelled to Queensland with the virus.”

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While Hanks and his wife remain in quarantine in Australia, where they are being closely monitored, family members are giving fans a positive outlook on their recovery.

Speaking just after his father and mother confirmed their diagnosis, Chet Hanks, who also goes by the name of Chet Haze, told fans that “they both are fine.”

“They’re not even that sick,” he said. “They’re not worried about it. They’re not trippin’ but they’re going through the necessary health precautions obviously. But I don’t think it’s anything to be too worried about.”

Colin Hanks, Hanks’ son and Wilson’s stepson, also spoke out, sharing on Twitter that Hanks and Wilson “are doing well (and in good spirits)” and “we have been in constant contact and am confident that they will make a full recovery.”

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Hanks and Wilson’s diagnosis comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

“WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction,” it was announced. “We have therefore made the assessment that [COVID-19] can be characterized as a pandemic.”

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Later that evening, and just as Hanks revealed he had tested positive for the coronavirus, President Donald Trump addressed the nation in a televised speech. During the broadcast, Trump announced a 30-day European travel ban and promised financial relief, among other things.