Entertainment

Yes, That’s A “Corona” Typewriter In Tom Hanks’ Latest COVID-19 Update

by Jessica Wang
Tom Hanks’ COVID-19 Update Calls On People To “Flatten The Curve”
Barcroft Media/Barcroft Media/Getty Images

A couple days after Vegemite-gate, Tom Hanks shared another coronavirus update and said his symptoms remain "much the same" on Tuesday. The news came alongside a photo of a typewriter with, ironically, the word "Corona" printed on it. The actor and his wife, Rita Wilson, were released from the hospital on March 16 and tested positive for COVID-19 on March 11.

Hanks' latest March 17 post reads:

“Hey folks. Good News: One week after testing Positive, in self-isolation, the symptoms are much the same,” Hanks wrote. “No fever but the blahs. Folding the laundry and doing the dishes leads to a nap on the couch.” Citing Wilson’s “6 straight hands” win of Gin Rummy with a 201 point lead, Hanks joked, “But I have learned not to spread my Vegemite so thick.”

He called on others to “flatten the curve," a theory that urges social distancing in order to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, per a viral chart created by Vox. Per Hanks’ initial Instagram post, the two got tested after they experienced some chills, body aches, and a slight fever. During quarantine, the Toy Story actor called on others to “get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other.” Quoting his line from the 1992 film A League of Their Own, Hanks reminded his followers that “there is no crying in baseball.”

In case you're wondering about that Vegemite reference, one of Hanks’ earlier updates included an Instagram photo of toast smeared with Vegemite, and it quickly went viral for its excessive usage of the Australian spread. Actor Colin Hanks poked fun at his dad on Twitter on March 15 and wrote, “I've been saying, ‘That's way too much for one piece of toast.’ to him for years.”

Hanks and Wilson were among the first celebrities to test positive for the coronavirus. Since then, Idris Elba, Game of Thrones’ Kristofer Hivju, Quantum of Solace’s Olga Kurylenko, and Frozen 2’s Rachel Matthews have announced that they’ve tested positive for COVID-19 as well. Like Hanks, many of the actors have urged precaution amid the pandemic. “Stay home people and be pragmatic,” Elba said in his Twitter video. “No panic.” Citing those at higher risk of illness, Hivju wrote on Instagram, “I urge all of you to be extremely careful… Please take care of each other, keep your distance, and stay healthy!”

If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and coughing, call NHS 111 in the UK or visit the CDC website in the U.S. for up-to-date information and resources. You can find all Bustle’s coverage of coronavirus here, and UK-specific updates on coronavirus here.