"Friends" alum and "Morning Show" star Jennifer Aniston has a message for her fans: "Wear a damn mask." It comes as more states, cities and businesses are making it mandatory for people to wear masks in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus that is surging in parts of the country.
The actress, 51, posted a photo of herself wearing a black facemask for her 34 million Instagram followers.
"I understand masks are inconvenient and uncomfortable," Aniston wrote. "But don’t you feel that it’s worse that businesses are shutting down... jobs are being lost... health care workers are hitting absolute exhaustion. And so many lives have been taken by this virus because we aren’t doing enough."
Aniston said she believes people are basically good, but there are still many who refuse to wear a mask.
"People seem worried about their 'rights being taken away' by being asked to wear a mask. This simple and effective recommendation is being politicized at the expense of peoples’ lives. And it really shouldn’t be a debate," Aniston wrote.
She included the hashtag #wearadamnmask.
Several of her celebrity friends chimed in with approval.
"Yep!" wrote "Friends" co-star Courteney Cox.
"Exactly" wrote her "Morning Show" co-star Reese Witherspoon.
As coronavirus cases have surged in parts of the country in recent weeks, more jurisdictions are starting to mandate people wear face coverings in indoor public places and outdoors where social distancing isn't possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cloth face coverings can help people who are infected with COVID-19 -- including those showing no symptoms -- from spreading the coronavirus to others.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.