‘You’re not living in the real world’: Idris Elba is slammed for saying people should quarantine for a week each year to ‘remember this time’ after his ‘very mild’ case of coronavirus
Twitter has slammed Idris Elba after he said he thinks the world should quarantine for a week every year to ‘remember this time’ once the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
The 47-year-old, along with his wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba, 29, tested positive for a ‘very mild’ strain of the coronavirus in March but has now fully recovered.
He said: ‘I think that the world should take a week of quarantine every year just to remember this time. Remember each other. I really do.
‘You’re not living in the real world’: Idris Elba is slammed for saying the world should quarantine for a WEEK each year to ‘remember this time’ (stock picture)
‘I think it’s… other species use it. It’s called hibernation. But it does remind you that the world doesn’t tick on your time.
‘It’s been about six weeks from the beginning to this point right now for us, where it’s essentially our lives turned around.
‘Definitely scary and unsettling and nervous. And I think that’s been like a real collected world experience.’
Scary time: Idris and his wife Sabrina were both diagnosed with a ‘very mild’ case of coronavorus back in March and have now recovered
He continued: ‘You know, everyone’s sort of feeling the way we have been feeling, but it has definitely been sort of just a complete upheaval.’
The couple remain in New Mexico, where Elba was filming when he became ill, but plan to return to London as soon as they are able to.
Model Sabrina added: ‘Thankfully, we were extremely lucky to be able to get very mild cases of COVID and the outpouring of support and all of the people who have reached out to us, it’s just been overwhelming.’
Idris said he was forced to miss his son’s sixth birthday but hopes to see him soon.
He said: ‘We’ve been fortunate. We have been staying in a lovely place that’s been very comfortable for the time. But we’re looking forward to going home.’
Twitter was not impressed with Idris’s idea of a yearly week-long quarantine given that for some people, the experience has been truly horrendous.
‘@idriselba You think everyone can take time off work to stay indoors? You are not in the real world. Do you think those poor people who live in tower blocks with six kids running crazy would want to do this. You fool!’
People wrote: ‘Like we aren’t suffering enough and he comes out with this cr**.’
‘To Fogle (verb) I Fogle We Fogle they Fogle Idris Elba Fogles.’
‘Got love for the great (and still actually underrated in many places) @idriselba, but this was a little silly from him.’
‘Get a grip @idriselba. People can’t afford to just stay at home for a week.’
NO! A lot of people were not feeling Idris’s suggestion, understandable given that some people are suffering a truly horrendous time amid the pandemic – though he meant well
‘Nobody wants to be reminded about the coronavirus, Idris Elba needs to take his own advice Face with tears of joy… #IdrisElba #Coronavirus #Covid19’
Yet a couple of people agreed with him and wrote: ‘I think #idriselba has it spot on and I for one will commit to spending a week in isolation with him.’
‘I agree, this quarantine has done wonders for the planet, imagine if we did it every year – planned so countries could financially prepare for it. Don’t understand why he has received such a backlash for this. Idris Elba the new Greta.’
Into it: A small handful of people could see where Idris was coming from
‘People are proper going off at Idris Elba for suggesting we should isolate for a week every year in remembrance. Chill.’
As UN Goodwill Ambassadors, the couple have joined up with the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to support rural farmers trying to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak.
It is a call for an additional $200mn from donor governments in addition to the $40mn in seed funding provided by IFAD.
Sabrina said: ‘People forget that 80% of the poor population live in these rural areas.
‘What we are really worried about at the moment, and why we are launching this fund is that those people are being forgotten.’
Isolating: Idris has revealed he has tested positive for the coronavirus via Twitter in March