In March 2020, members of the Contagion cast and creative team joined Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and scientific advisers to make a series of COVID-19 public-service videos. The actors delivered messages developed with public-health experts; the videos document an early-pandemic campaign, not current medical advice.
What was the Contagion COVID-19 video campaign?
Columbia Mailman School announced the campaign on March 27, 2020, describing a virtual reunion of cast members from the 2011 film Contagion to produce evidence-based public-service announcements. Director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Scott Z. Burns produced the campaign with the film’s scientific adviser, W. Ian Lipkin. Infectious disease epidemiologist Stephen Morse was among the experts who provided input. Actors recorded their videos at home. Columbia’s launch announcement describes the collaboration.
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The campaign also involved Participant and Columbia Mailman School scientists. Columbia’s Control the Contagion campaign page says scripts were written with guidance from experts who had worked on the film, including Lipkin, Larry Brilliant, Laurie Garrett and Mark Smolinski; Morse advised the campaign.
Which actors appeared, and what did the videos cover?
Columbia’s campaign page lists these video titles and speakers:
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| Video | Speaker | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| “Listening to Experts” | Matt Damon | Following public-health expertise |
| “Stopping the Spread Is in Your Hands” | Kate Winslet | Handwashing |
| “What We Can Do Right Now – Social Distancing” | Laurence Fishburne | Social distancing |
| “What You Need To Know About Vaccines” | Jennifer Ehle | Vaccines |
| “The Choice We All Have to Make” | Marion Cotillard | Personal choices |
| “Spreading Facts, Not Fear” | Not stated on the campaign page | Facts and misinformation |
Columbia’s announcement describes the messages in more detail. Damon urged people to stay home and practice social distancing even if they felt healthy: “We can all do this by staying apart. Please do your part.” Winslet focused on handwashing, saying, “One of the most important things they told me: Wash your hands like your life depends on it. Because right now, in particular, it might.” Columbia says Fishburne’s and Ehle’s videos encouraged viewers to listen to public-health officials and avoid misinformation. These quotations and descriptions are from the March 2020 announcement.
Were the actors giving medical advice?
No. Columbia describes the PSA scripts as guided by public-health experts and scientific advisers. The actors conveyed those messages on camera; they were not the source of the campaign’s medical guidance. Lipkin, director of Columbia’s Center for Infection and Immunity, explained the purpose as communicating “good science and clear messages on what people can do to protect themselves and their communities.”
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Are the videos current COVID-19 guidance?
They are historical public-service announcements made during the early months of the pandemic. Their topics—including handwashing, distancing, vaccines and listening to experts—show what the campaign addressed in 2020, but its specific precautions should not be assumed to match present-day recommendations. For current guidance, consult public-health authorities serving your location. Columbia said the videos were available with English and Spanish subtitles and directed viewers to the campaign’s information site.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How does the series relate to the film?
Contagion is the 2011 film whose cast and creative team took part in the campaign. The videos are a separate public-service project, made with Columbia Mailman School and scientific advisers; they are not a continuation of the film or a substitute for current health information. Readers interested in the film can look for a DVD or Blu-ray edition, checking the edition and availability with the retailer.
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