Taylor Swift Pleads With Fans Amid ‘Really Scary’ Coronavirus Time

Taylor Swift is joining the growing number of celebrities urging her fans to stay home amid the coronavirus outbreak. On Sunday, the “You Need to Calm Down” singer took to her Instagram Story with an impassioned plea to her followers to take COVID-19 seriously and practice social distancing to help slow the spread of the virus.

“Guys – I FOLLOW YOU ONLINE AND I love you guys so much and need to express my concern that things aren’t being taken seriously enough right now,” she wrote. “I’m seeing lots of get togethers and hangs and parties still happening. This is the time to cancel plans, actually truly isolate as much as you can, and don’t assume that because you don’t feel sick that you aren’t possibly passing something on to someone elderly or vulnerable to this.”

“It’s a really scary time but we need to make social sacrifices right now,” she added.

Swift is just one of many A-listers to voice their concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic, which as of Monday morning had infected more than 3,600 and killed at least 66 in the United States, according to a New York Times database.

Just hours before Swift shared her message, fellow singer Ariana Grande issued a similar plea to her fans.

“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 wrote on her Instagram Story. “I understand if that is how u felt weeks ago. but please read about what’s going on. please don’t turn a blind eye.”

“It is incredibly dangerous and selfish to take this situation that lightly,” Grande continued. “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. you sound stupid and privileged and you need to care more about others. like now.”

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga revealed that same day that after seeking the advice of medical professionals and scientists, she had made the decision to self-quarantine, writing that, “it’s not the easiest for everyone right now but the kindest/healthiest thing we can do is self-quarantine and not hang out with people over 65 and in large groups.”

Currently, public health experts are recommending that the public practice social distancing to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Across the country, officials are ordering the closure of schools, bars, restaurants, and other public gathering spaces.