'Contagion,' a 2011 film, has become a hit on streaming sites as the world grapples with the coronavirus. For many watching now, it hits a bit too close to home.
The 9-year-old movie has become one of the most popular rentals for video streaming services in 2020.
The fictional virus originates from a bat — and then jumps to a pig and then a person — which reflects the fact that 75% of new diseases in people come from animals, according to the CDC. These diseases include HIV, Ebola, SARS and now, COVID-19. Lipkin, who has identified hundreds of new diseases throughout his career, shared with Burns his experiences from 2003 on the frontlines of the SARS outbreak in Beijing. Elliott Gould’s character in the movie, a UC San Francisco scientist named Ian Sussman, is a nod to Lipkin.
Which brings us to 2020, when there is seemingly little distance between “Contagion” and real life. Paltrow, who gets killed off in the first 10 minutes of the film, recently“I’ve already been in this movie,” she wrote. “Stay safe. Don’t shake hands. Wash hands frequently.” The movie’s portrayal of panic and scapegoating is what Burns sees as most analogous to what is happening today, he said.
“What I do hope the movie illustrated is how misinformation and fear cause people to behave in ways that frequently are going to make the problem worse, or cause new problems,” Burns said.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Chinese agriculture drone makers see demand rise amid coronavirus outbreakWhile the coronavirus outbreak in China has hit many industries hard, some technology start-ups in agriculture are seeing demand rise.
Read more »
Threat of coronavirus pandemic 'has become very real': WHO's TedrosThe coronavirus is closer to causing a pandemic, but outbreaks in countries can ...
Read more »
Coronavirus wipes out British business confidence bounce: IoD surveyThe coronavirus outbreak has reversed a recent upturn in British business leader...
Read more »
Audrina Patridge & More Celebrity Moms React to Coronavirus OutbreakCelebrity moms discussed how they're dealing with the Coronavirus outbreak as parents on Daily Pop
Read more »
Seattle-area nursing home unable to test 65 workers with COVID-19 symptomsThe Seattle-area nursing home at the epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak ...
Read more »
New York Is Using Prison Labor to Make Hand SanitizerNew York Is Making its Own Hand Sanitizer Amid the Coronavirus Outbreak — Using Prison Labor
Read more »