America's most prominent doctor, Jerome Adams, is calling on the likes of Kylie Jenner and other social media influencers in order to get the youth of the nation to take the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) more seriously. Jermone Michael Adams Ph.D., who is currently serving as the United States 20th Surgeon General, appeared on Good Morning America on Thursday (March 19), to speak about the country's efforts to contain the highly-contagious disease and the role that millennials play in attempting to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Adams, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as US Surgeon General in 2017, believes that social media has the power to influence America's young citizens to participate in an effective coronavirus prevention plan.
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During his appearance on Good Morning America, the certified anesthesiologist wasn't afraid to call upon some of the most influential names in pop culture to serve as catalysts for COVID-19 awareness as he stated to Super Bowl champion, Michael Strahan:
"What I really think we need to do ... is get our influencers. 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."
US Surgeon General Adams then went on to name drop highly-popularized NBA players Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell who have tested positive for coronavirus despite being asymptomatic. Before ending his segment with a message to the negligent youth of the country, stating:
"Think about your grandmother, think about your grandfather. Think about the fact that you're spreading disease, which could ultimately be what kills them."
With the recent flock of college students and millennials making their way to Florida for spring break despite being in the midst of a global pandemic, Dr. Adams' message is more necessary than ever in order to properly contain the virus that has now reached over 200,000 confirmed cases around the globe. And with popular social media personalities like Kylie Jenner reaching a following of over 166 million people, influencers have the opportunity to have major impact over how history will be made with this pandemic.
We shall see how things play out over the course of the next couple of weeks and how many will choose to use their platforms during these trying times. Check out US Surgeon General Jerome Adams' full Good Morning America interview in the video provided below.