WHO calls on Leonardo DiCaprio, Greta Thunberg to take Safe Hands challenge

The World Health Organization is calling on some big names to take its Safe Hands challenge. WHO has asked dozens of high-profile figures, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ivanka Trump, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Greta Thunberg, to share videos of themselves washing their hands as a protective measure against COVID-19, the disease caused by a newly identified coronavirus.

Over the past several days, WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus  has been nominating people via tweet to “take the #SafeHands challenge by sharing their video & calling on at least another 3 people to join us!”

Celebrities including The Pussycat Dolls and Billy Porter have shared videos of themselves promoting hand hygiene. 

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Pandemic: Here’s what’s changed about the coronavirus

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Efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 have been rapidly ramping up. It has killed more than 7,500 people and infected more than 190,000 people globally. Last week, WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Numerous cities and countries are on lockdown. Major events have been called off or postponed. And many employees are being told to work from home. 

To protect against the spread of COVID-19, people are encouraged to practice social distancing and to thoroughly wash their hands.