Melania Trump is set to appear in a public service address (PSA) about the coronavirus. President Donald Trump has tapped his wife and big media companies like Disney, NBC Universal and Viacom CBS to educate the public on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to Deadline, the White House announced this major partnership with the media giants to "effectively communicate accurate and timely information directly to the American people." Ad Council will be steering the PSA, which will be released in several platforms as soon as possible.
Also joining Melania in the coronavirus PSA are Surgeon General Jerome M. Adam, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx. Some officials from the administration will also appear but it's unclear if the president or Vice President Mike Pence will be part of the PR move as well.
Disney's PSA will focus on parents and families while NBC Universal will expand its content to English and Spanish, as well as high-risk sectors. Viacom will underscore the implications of the coronavirus to public health, which will include the need for social distancing, washing hands, avoiding gatherings, and other health advise.
The news comes as Melania was criticized for being largely silent when the outbreak began. As panic struck the United States, Melania shared a tweet to show the progress of the tennis pavilion at the White House.
Melania also failed to talk about public health and safety during a gathering of parents and teachers at the National Parents and Teachers Association summit last week. When she finally posted a tweet about social distancing and following CDC Guidelines, Melania also received backlash because of the lack of action and tests from her husband's administration.
According to CNN correspondent Kate Bennett, Melania's lack of presence was different from other first ladies before her. She pointed out that Laura Bush had a weekly radio program after the 9/11 attacks. Eleanor Roosevelt also drew support from the public for the soldiers after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in the Second World War.
Bennett said that the first lady can use her Be Best campaign to address questions and fears about the coronavirus pandemic. She can discuss with parents and schools on how to best explain the situation to the children since Be Best is about protecting the kids.
Meanwhile, the United States has over 8,700 confirmed cases as of press time. The death toll is now close to 150 as every state in America is dealing with this health crisis. Doctors are calling on the public to self-isolate or practice social distancing so as not to overwhelm hospitals with sick people.
