Kylie Jenner Gets Coronavirus Television Appeal From Surgeon General: 'This Is Serious'

The Surgeon General has issued a plea to influencers like Kylie Jenner amid the coronavirus, asking the 22-year-old star to encourage her millions of young social media followers to stay home amid the worldwide pandemic. During an appearance on Good Morning America on Thursday, March 19, Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the country needed influencers to help inform others of the importance of social distancing.

When host Michael Strahan shared video footage of young people out and about on spring break despite social distancing warnings, he asked Adams, what the best way was to "get the message across to this generation" so that they need to take this more seriously. Adams replied that even with his own 14 and 15-year-old, it isn't easy because the more you tell them not to do something, they will want to do it.

"What I really think we need to do... was get our influencers — Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell, we need to get Kylie Jenner," he said. "We need to get our social media influencers out there and helping folks understand that look, this is serious, this is absolutely serious."

"People are dying, we again are seeing new data emerging from Italy that suggests that young people may be at higher risk in different situations than what we previously thought," he continued. "But think about your grandmother, think about your grandfather, think about the fact that you're spreading disease which could ultimately be what kills them."

Jenner was one step ahead of Adams, sharing another Instagram Story on Wednesday, March 18 in which she encouraged her followers to say home. "Another daily reminder to take this social distancing serious and self quarantine," she wrote, adding, "I'm on day 8."

The 22-year-old added that she was totally prepared for self-quarantine after her pregnancy, during which she hardly left her home in an effort to keep her pregnancy private. She ultimately succeeded, announcing her pregnancy and daughter Stormi's birth on the same day in February 2018.

"My pregnancy prepared me for this," Jenner shared. "I didn't leave the house for months."

"We got this," she added in another slide.

Adams also referenced NBA stars Durant and Mitchell, both of whom have tested positive for the coronavirus. On Wednesday, Mitchell posted a photo to his Instagram Story with tips on how to "beat the virus," with the number-one spot occupied by the message "STAY HOME" in capital letters.

Photo Credit: Getty / Axelle/Bauer-Griffin