Melania Trump will be making a debut appearance in public service announcements (PSAs) related to the coronavirus pandemic set to be broadcast nationally, according to a news release from the White House on Wednesday.
There is no information yet as to when the First Lady will be debuting in this capacity to address "important ways Americans can protect themselves and those most at risk" amidst the spreading coronavirus respiratory disease.
The White House stated that COVID-19-related PSAs featuring Surgeon General Jerome Adams, Dr Anthony Fauci, Dr Deborah Birx, and other "administration officials" will also be recorded and nationally broadcast.
The announcement stirred up an online response among netizens, who typically brought up the first lady’s “Be Best” campaign in their sarcastic comments.
Hey, coronavirus: be better
— Aaron (@ahild84) March 19, 2020
Noooo! You can't make me hear it! ✋🤚
— Alice Evans (@AliceEvansGruff) March 19, 2020
Oh, pleeeeze. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/4Dp3FNdSlk
— RareIdahoLiberal (@MILITANTIDLIB) March 19, 2020
I thought it was a hoax?
— bc phillips (@bcpok) March 19, 2020
Is she an infectious disease specialist now?
— 'The truth can't hurt us now' (@MarisaM1110) March 19, 2020
Some netizens yet again brought up the White House Tennis Pavilion issue, dating back to early March, when the first lady tweeted pics of herself reviewing blueprints for the building, with some saying the photos were insensitive during the coronavirus scare.
Is she going to tell us to shelter in our tennis pavilions?
— Joshua Gale (@joshuafett75) March 19, 2020
I’m expecting an update on the White House Tennis Pavilion.
— Peter - MAPA (@246810121416) March 19, 2020
Haven't we been punished enough?
— Pam Collier (@PamCollier2) March 19, 2020
Some people just keeping quiet is a public service.
— Malathi Nidadavolu (@thulikan) March 19, 2020
Nooooooooooo
— Rafaella77 (@Heelspurs00) March 19, 2020
No no no no no noooooooo pic.twitter.com/MeG3D9THgR
Other netizens took the opportunity to voice their appreciation for what the first lady was doing.
So proud of First Lady!
— MatthewJshow (@MatthewJshow) March 19, 2020
While US President Donald Trump has faced criticism over the slow response to the spreading coronavirus and the challenges people have been facing amid fallout from the pandemic, his wife, Melania Trump, was also called out by some for her infrequent public comments on the global crisis.
Earlier, Melania Trump announced that the annual Easter Egg Roll on the grounds of the White House would be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while on 17 March the first lady posted a tweet urging people to spend time with their families, as many Americans are facing a period of working from home.
Consider taking advantage of time working from home to connect with your loved ones via email or FaceTime, spend time w family, or work on your well-being by reading a book or spending time on a hobby.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 17, 2020
The tweets unleashed a barrage of criticism from netizens, who suggested that FLOTUS was confused as to what it means to "work" from home.
Currently, there are over 9,400 registered cases of the coronavirus in the US, with a death toll at over 150.
There has not been an official comment about specifics of any upcoming plans to publicly say more about the pandemic, said CNN.
