Jennifer Lawrence, Mockingjay co-stars combat Ebola ignorance in PSA - Action News
Home WebMail Saturday, November 23, 2024, 06:37 AM | Calgary | -12.2°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Entertainment

Jennifer Lawrence, Mockingjay co-stars combat Ebola ignorance in PSA

Jennifer Lawrence and her Mockingjay co-stars, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, appear in a new public service announcement that aims to clarify information about the Ebola virus.

Video urges viewers to stop worrying about getting the virus in North America

Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence appear in a PSA for the Ebola Survival Fund. The video, featuring stars from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, urges Americans to contribute to help fight the virus in West Africa, instead of worrying about potential outbreaks at home. (Ebola Survival Fund/YouTube)

Jennifer Lawrence and a host of herHunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1film co-starsare appealing to Americans in a new video public service announcement that aims to clarify information about the Ebola virus.

In the video, posted Monday and titled "ESF#MisinformationHack," urges viewersto stop worrying about getting the virus in North America, and focus on the persistent problems West Africa that are fuelling the deadly virus's spread.

  • On mobile? Watch the videohere

"In some parts of West Africa, only twoout of 10 people afflicted with Ebola have survived," warns actorMahershalaAli in the clip.

"Why?" Jennifer Lawrence asks. "[Because,] people infected by the Ebola virus in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone don't have access to the same medical treatment as Americans," explainactors Liam Hemsworth and Julianne Moore.

The video also points out that 100 per cent of infected Americans treated in U.S. hospitals have survived.

"What would happen if you got Ebola?" JoshHutchersonasksLawrence.

"Id be fine,"the 24-year-old responds.

"Weve got a lot of doctors," addsHutcherson.

Ebola Survival Fund

Actor Jefferey Wright, who plays Beetee in the blockbuster sci-fi franchise, produced the video for the Ebola Survival Fund. It was his passion for fightingthe deadly outbreak that inspired him to recruit his famous friends.

On Tuesday, ahealth worker who was the first person diagnosed with Ebola in Britain arrived at a London hospital from Scotland early on for treatment after contracting the disease in West Africa.

The World Health Organization said on Monday that the number of people infected by Ebola in the three West African countries worst affected by the outbreakhad passed 20,000, with more than 7,842 deaths.

With files from Reuters