Reality TV star and entrepreneur Kylie Jenner has millions of followers and that brings her plenty of online influence.
It’s helped her to get heaps of comments, Likes, and other social media cred, as well as to become one of the richest people in the country.
Kylie recently used the power of all that social media presence to try to influence people to heed the Surgeon General’s latest advice during the coronavirus pandemic.
US Surgeon General asks for Kylie Jenner, others to help
This past week, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams asked for Jenner and other social media influencers to use some of that influence to help out.
During his appearance on Good Morning America, he told Michael Strahan, “We need to get our social media influencers out there and helping folks understand that, look, this is serious.”
“We need to get Kylie Jenner, we need to get our social-media influencers out there in helping folks understand that, look, this is serious. This is absolutely serious. People are dying,” he told Strahan with regards to Millenials and coronavirus.
Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams on millennials and the coronavirus: “We need to get our social media influencers out there and helping folks understand that look this is serious.” https://t.co/M1e2wFmU6F pic.twitter.com/FNjZB12mKK
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 19, 2020
In addition to Kylie Jenner, the Surgeon General also mentioned NBA stars Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Durant. They are among the growing list of NBA players to have tested positive for coronavirus since just over a week ago.
In terms of celebrities, actors Tom Hanks and Idris Elba are amongst the high-profile individuals who also have tested positive.
Kylie does her part via Instagram Stories
Ask and you shall receive! Per PEOPLE, Kylie Jenner took to Instagram Stories to urge her 166 million or so followers to take the advice with regards to coronavirus. That includes social distancing, self-quarantine, and of course, regular hand washing.
“Hey guys. Happy self-quarantine!” Jenner told IG viewers on her Instagram Stories. “I know I’ve already been doing my daily reminders about how important it is right now to practice social distancing and self-quarantine. I’m going on my ninth day. The coronavirus is a real thing.”
“I listened to the Surgeon General this morning and even though I’ve already been doing my daily reminders, he definitely encouraged me to come on here and talk to you guys so you can see me and hear me,” Kylie said.
She also pleaded with everyone to stay inside, even though it may be tough for many people to do as much as is needed.
“Please stay inside, you guys,” Jenner asked those who watched her Story. “Please stay inside, practice social distancing, self-quarantine,” she added.
“If you live with your parents, you don’t want to go home and get your parents sick. You might have it and not even know and be infecting other people. It’s serious, and the only way that we’re going to slow this down is if we do this since there’s not a cure right now,” Jenner told her fans.
In another recent IG post, she asked followers to provide her movie suggestions as she continues to stay home and do her part.
Jenner’s IG message arrives as the United States has seen multiple states step up to take stronger measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus by enacting orders to shutdown. That included Jenner’s home state of California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom recently issued an executive order that all residents stay home, with the exception of those leaving for essential activities.
One can only hope that Jenner asking people to follow the advice will provide a model for others with social media influence to do the same and that it will convince those who weren’t taking things seriously, to start doing so.