A majority of new COVID-19 infections are transmitted by young people, which is why Certified Young Person Paul Rudd is calling on his fellow Youths to wear a mask.
People under 40 are driving the spread of the coronavirus, and despite misinformation from the White House science advisor Dr. Scott Atlas — whose specialty is neuroradiology, not epidemiology — young people can be severely affected by the virus. While a COVID infection is less likely to be fatal in a young, healthy person, it can still result in hospitalization and a slew of unknown long-term health issues. Though there aren’t any clinical studies about the how much damage the virus wreaks on a young person’s body, those who survived infection have experienced lingering symptoms weeks after initially testing positive.
Rudd, who is 51, but can pass as a Youth thanks to his meme-friendly persona, teamed up with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for a public service announcement. In the delightful clip, the “actor and certified young person” explains that “Cuoms” asked him to help explain the importance of mask wearing.
“Masks? They’re totally beast!” a skateboard-wielding Rudd says. “So slide that into your DMs and Twitch it!”
He also calls his Gen Z friend Billie Eilish, pledging to “stan” her for wearing her mask.
“Masks protect you and your dank squad,” Rudd continues.
But then he breaks out of his youthful, trendy character to beg his audience to wear a mask for the sake of others.
“People are dying! Hundreds of thousands of people are dying!” Rudd rants. “I shouldn’t have to make it fun! It’s science!”
You heard him. Let’s yeet COVID. Wear your mask.