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COVID-19 has had over a billion mentions across the media, according to software company Sprinklr. Celebrities have been perhaps the most visible contributors. This begs the question: What are they doing to help?  What are celebrities doing with these platforms, and are they actually helping the general public? Are they doing enough? Let’s take a look at how some of the most well-known celebrities are helping (and attempting to help) the general population during this tough time.

Celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Tana Mongeau are helping some of their fans firsthand. Spears posted a video on Friday, March 20, stating that she would be picking three fans to help out during this time of difficulty.  

“Our world is going through such hard times right now,” Spears said “Whether it’s with food or I’m getting your child diapers or whatever it is, DM me and I will help you out.”.

Swift gave a couple of her fans $3,000 because she saw their stories online and wanted to help. Holly Turner posted the proof on Twitter and gave an explanation as to what happened.

“I made a post on Tumblr about how I was scared I wouldn’t be able to stay living in NYC because of what (coronavirus) has done to the music industry,” she wrote. “Taylor Swift literally single-handedly saved my ability to stay here. I cannot even believe my eyes right now.”

Helping out directly has a great impact on the families in need. Many celebrities are asking for Venmo or Paypal usernames in order to give to people who really need it right now.

Another way celebrities are helping is by donating to certain charities that are involved in the COVID-19 crisis. Shawn Mendes made a donation of $175,000 to a Toronto hospital, while Gwyneth Paltrow donated $100,000 to Frontline Responders Fund. JustinTimberlake donated to Feeding America and tweeted “Stay healthy, stay calm, and help everyone stay well-fed.”

Some celebrities are putting on livestream concerts for entertainment. Singers such as Dove Cameron, Jeremy Zucker, Charlie Puth and Miley Cyrus are all going live on Instagram to help entertain everyone who is quarantining and bored at home. Sheryl Crow is doing her part to entertain by uploading videos to Facebook daily.

She wrote: “Trying to bring a little joy to your day… I’ll be posting some acoustic songs here on the daily as I can.” 

For the most part, people seem to be appreciative of these acts of kindness from the people they look up to, but there has also been disappointment among the public in regard to how other celebrities are handling their platform regarding the virus. A viral Twitter video featured celebrities such as Cara Delevingne, Ashley Benson, John Lennon, Natalie Portman collaborating to sing their part in the famous John Lennon song “Imagine”. Many people were upset that these celebrities thought singing would help anything and suggested that they would rather have them donate some of their money. 

One Twitter user angrily wrote, “These people are probably collectively worth a few billion dollars. Open your checkbook. Or at least learn to carry a tune.

Vanessa Hudgens was live streaming on Instagram on March 16 when she provided her opinion on the virus.

“Yeah, till July sounds like a bunch of bull, I’m sorry,” Hudgens said. “It’s a virus, I get it. I respect it. But at the same time, like, even if everybody gets it — like, yeah, people are going to die. Which is terrible. But, like, inevitable?” 

She received a lot of backlash for this comment. People were angry she was so insensitive toward those who were and are affected by the virus. She apologized the next day in a Twitter post saying, “Hey guys, I’m so sorry for the way I have offended anyone and everyone who has seen the clip from Instagram Live yesterday. I realize my words were insensitive and not at all appropriate for the situation our country and the world are in right now. This has been a huge wakeup call about the significance my words have, now more than ever. I’m sending safe wishes to everyone to stay safe and healthy during this crazy time.” 

Celebrities are all dealing with this situation differently. Some are doing their part while others are slacking. In the end, celebrities aren’t going to find the cure for this disease, but they can do their part in order to give attention to the virus and the quarantine guidelines. And, of course, donations are always appreciated.