Author Stephen King took a swing on the coronavirus outbreak on Twitter to assure anyone the virus will not lead to a catastrophic world similar to his book The Stand.
Netizens had mixed reactions to the tweet -- with some figuring out he was joking while others had more critical responses. King previously joked on the outbreak with a meme referring to the move It.
"No, coronavirus is NOT like THE STAND," King wrote. King underscored that coronavirus is not as severe as it is, and the victims could much recover. He urged everyone to keep calm and take all reasonable precautions.
King formerly joked about the coronavirus on Friday. At the same time, he shared a meme using the iconic opening scene from the It TV miniseries. The meme shows Tim Curry's evil clown Pennywise luring children into his lair. In the meme, Pennywise is the usage of hand sanitizer to attract kids.
pic.twitter.com/TzZmra00yy — Stephen King (@StephenKing) March 6, 2020
The Stand tells about the total breakdown of human society after the accidental release of an influenza pressure for biological warfare triggers a horrific pandemic that kills the whole world's human population. In The Stand, the weaponized flu is immune to antibodies, vaccines, and most sorts of treatment are 100 percent contagious.
Tweet drew flak among netizens
King's Twitter fans pounced at the author's tweet with a whole lot of responses.
"It's no longer the virus that's similar, it's the warfare of right vs. evil," a Twitter netizen replied. Coronavirus sort of sealed the deal a touch, the netizen added.
Another Twitter netizen said covering up the case and hiding the numbers brings to mind the beginning of The Stand. "[The issue] isn't the virus Stephen. [The problem now] is the response by those in positions of authority," the tweet said.
One netizen unhappy with King's joke wrote the virus has the potential to kill people with compromised immune systems and the elderly. The netizen added decreasing the significance of this outbreak is a touch bit strange.
Public health groups urged the public to do safety precautions
There are more than 100,000 confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases around the world, along with over 500 in the U.S. There are also 21 confirmed deaths from the disease in the U.S., which include 18 in Washington state.
Most public health groups have counseled that the quality prevention for the coronavirus is made from simple, primary measures. The preventive move includes warding off touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, live home while sick, and proper, frequent handwashing. The CDC does not recommend carrying a face mask if you are well. However, they ought to be worn through those showing signs or treating patients.
The coronavirus has caused fear among a large number of event organizers who want to save participants from any possible risk of contagion. Last month we saw how the virus has pressured to cancel the Mobile World Congress 2020 of Barcelona, followed by SXSW in Austin in April. However, other events, such as E3 retain their activity despite the health crisis.
