Dan Levy has taken to Instagram with a video imploring his fans to wear face masks in public during the coronavirus pandemic — calling it an “act of kindness.”
The actor, who is best known for starring and co-creating sitcom Schitt’s Creek with his father, Eugene Levy, said he was moved to speak on the issue after seeing lots of viral videos of people protesting against wearing a mask.
In the video, the Canadian, who’s appeared in Modern Family, said, “I’ve been seeing a lot of viral videos about people who are actively not wearing masks because they perceive it to be an infringement on their freedom.”
Dan Levy says wear a mask as an ‘act of kindness’
He continued by stating that while he understood people’s frustrations over being asked to wear a mask, he asked those who see it as a restriction of their freedoms to “re-contextualize” the problem and think of it as an “act of kindness.”
“Imagine seeing it not as an infringement on your freedom, but rather the simplest, easiest act of kindness that you can do in a day,” Levy explained. “Not just for yourself, but for other people who might have autoimmune issues. People who, if they were to contract COVID with those issues might have some devastating repercussions.”
He finished the short video by adding, “If you have the freedom to leave your house if you have the good health to leave your house, why not put on a mask, make it your good deed for the day and do something nice for yourself and other people.”
Dan Levy’s post prompted plenty of debate
Levy has over 1.8 million followers, and as of the time of writing, his post had been viewed by over 1.5 million people. The comments responding to his post were very mixed, with many both agreeing and disagreeing.
One user wrote, “My mask protects you. Your mask protects me.” Meanwhile, others remarked that they were unsure about the health benefits of having a mask on their face, “except that masks are ineffective and can cause you other health issues,” said one Instagram user.
Levy is currently residing in Los Angeles, where everybody is presently required by law to wear a facemask while outside and in the same vicinity as other people.
The entertainment industry has been heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with many productions being shut down for the foreseeable future.
However, many celebrities are doing what they can to keep busy and keep us entertained. For example, we have seen the growth of the at-home concert, where musicians have performed gigs remotely.
Elton John was joined by Alicia Keys, Backstreet Boys, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mariah Carey, Tim McGraw, among others, for a “living room benefit concert” at the end of March which paid tribute to America’s medical staff and first responders.