‘The Walking Dead’ Star Samantha Morton Hospitalized, Urges Fans to Wear Masks Amid Pandemic

The Walking Dead star Samantha Morton has been hospitalized and is urging her fans to wear masks amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, Morton — who plays Alpha in the hit series — took to Twitter to share her situation, explaining, “Thank you to all the A and E staff at the [Conquest Hospital in East Sussex, England] who helped me tonight.” She added, “I’m so grateful for our NHS, to see the red zone first hand and the nurses and doctors being so kind and wonderful to us all was humbling. I’m ok tonight because of them.”

Morton then added hashtags for “Save Our NHS,” “Wear A Mask” and “COVID19.” Notably, the actress did not reveal what the cause of her hospitalization was, so it is unclear if it was related to the coronavirus. However, E! News pointed out that her reference to “the red zone” is a clue that it could be, as this term is used to refer to areas of COVID-19 hot spots. In addition to her post revealing her hospitalization, Morton also shared another post with a photo of herself in the hospital. In the image, she can be seen donning both a mask and face shield, which helps protect from coronavirus exposure.

As cases of COVID-19 continue to surge in the U.S. and around the globe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have encouraged everyone to wear a mask, as a way of helping slow the spread of the deadly illness. “Everyone should wear a mask in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain,” the CDC writes in its online guideline. “Masks help prevent you from getting or spreading the virus.”

The department also encourages everyone to maintain a six-foot distance from anyone outside your home, and anyone who has been confirmed to be infected or exposed. “Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus,” the CDC explains. “Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.”

Finally, the CDC also encourages everyone to wash their hands regularly, as this too can help fight the spread of the virus. “Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing,” the guidelines state. “If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.”