Elon Musk tweet about ‘dumb’ coronavirus panic gets 1.6 million likes

‘As someone with severe heart issues, I find this tweet irresponsible,’ Twitter user says

Anthony Cuthbertson

Monday 09 March 2020 19:08

Elon Musk has been the target of cryptocurrency scammers on Twitter, who have sought to capitalize from his cult-like status

(Getty Images for Huffington Post)

Elon Musk has provoked a huge online response after tweeting that the panic surrounding the Covid-19 coronavirus is “dumb”.

The Tesla and SpaceX boss, who has nearly 32 million followers on Twitter, received nearly 40,000 replies to his tweet, as well as 1.6 million ‘likes’.

“The coronavirus panic is dumb,” he tweeted, followed by an image mocking toilet paper shortages caused by panic buying.

The picture showed a toilet roll wrapped in gold ribbon in a display case. “Toilet paper $3,999,” a sign beside it states. “Free one-carat diamond ring with purchase.”

Some of the more severe aspects of the outbreak were acknowledged by Mr Musk, who also wrote: “Ships with a lot of people and limited medical facilities are a serious issue”.

There have been more than 600 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US, resulting in 76 deaths. Worldwide, the outbreak has seen 111,000 infections and close to 4,000 deaths.

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

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1/16Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Gondoliers wait for customers in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession.

AP

Gondoliers wait for customers in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession.

AP

A man wearing a protective mask walks past the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession.

AP

A gondolier on the Grand Canal as the sun sets in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession.

AP

A local pulls a trolley as she leaves a street food market in Venice, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. A U.S. government advisory urging Americans to reconsider travel to Italy due to the spread of a new virus is the "final blow" to the nation's tourism industry, the head of Italy's hotel federation said Saturday. Venice, which was nearing recovery in the Carnival season following a tourist lull after record flooding in November, saw bookings drop immediately after regional officials canceled the final two days of celebrations this week, unprecedented in modern times.

AP

Locals wait for a mass at the barely empty San Salvador church in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. A coughing Pope Francis told Italy, pilgrims gathered for the traditional Sunday blessing that he is canceling his participation at a week-long spiritual retreat in the Roman countryside because of a cold. It is the first time in his seven-year papacy that he has missed the spiritual exercises that he initiated early in his pontificate to mark the start of each Lenten season.

AP

Tourists wearing protective masks take photographs in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000.

AP

Tourists wearing protective masks look at their smartphones as they have a break at the St. Mark's square in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000.

AP

A couple stand at the Rialto bridge during a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000.

AP

An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

REUTERS

An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

Reuters

An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

REUTERS

An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

REUTERS

An empty water bus after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

REUTERS

Tourists shelter against the rain with umbrellas as they walk in the empty St. Mark's Square during a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

AP

Gondolas are parked on a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

AP

Many of the replies to Mr Musk’s tweet claimed that he was underplaying the severity of the deadly virus, with some pointing to projections of future infections while noting that there is currently no vaccine.

“As someone with severe heart issues, I find this tweet irresponsible,” one Twitter user replied. “Just because you are one of the richest people in America who has every opportunity, some like me can and will die.”

Others supported Mr Musk, claiming that sensational media coverage had prompted unnecessary panic buying and food shortages.

In February, Tesla temporarily closed its stores in mainland China in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

It is not the first time Mr Musk has sparked controversy on Twitter. In 2019, he was cleared by a US jury of defamation after a British diver sought $190m (£145m) for comments Mr Musk had made on the social media site.

Despite the controversy, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has described him as his favourite person on Twitter.

“I like how Elon Musk uses Twitter,” Mr Dorsey wrote during a live-tweeted interview. “He’s focussed on solving existential problems and sharing his thinking openly. I respect that a lot and all the ups and downs that come with it.”

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