Actor Idris Elba announced he has tested positive for COVID-19. In a video shared to Twitter, Elba said he learned on Friday that he’d been exposed to someone who’d tested positive for the virus. Although he has not exhibited symptoms, he immediately self-quarantined after learning of the exposure, he added. The actor’s wife, Sabrina Dhowre, appeared alongside him in the video, and Elba said that she has not yet been tested and is doing “OK.”
“This is serious. Now’s the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands. Beyond that, there are people out there who aren’t showing symptoms and that can easily spread it,” he said. “We’ve told our families. They’re very supportive. We’ve told our colleagues. And transparency’s probably the best thing for this right now. If you’re feeling ill, or you feel like you should be tested or you’ve been exposed , then do something about it. It’s really important.”
Elba ended his video with a plea for the public to come together.
“We live in a divided world right now — we can all feel it,” he said. “Now is the time for solidarity, now is the time for thinking about each other.”
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