With Coronavirus cases skyrocketing in the United States — according to Johns Hopkins University, the country now has more than any other in the world at over 143,000 — the rules of social distancing and vigilant behavior remain of an utmost importance: staying at home if possible, limiting social contact and regularly washing hands are the keys to slowing the spread of Covid-19 and helping the vulnerable members of society.
In order to drive this point home, members of the New England Patriots took to social media to share a video message intended for fans. The gist was a simple one: asking followers to “do their jobs” by abiding to guidelines and staying safe. Team captains Matthew Slater and Devin McCourty led the charge, with Sony Michel, Joe Cardona, Terrence Brooks, Deatrich Wise Jr. and Chase Winovich also partaking in the recording.
Doing our job to stay home & stay apart, while sticking together.#TogetherWhileApart | #StayHomeStayStrong pic.twitter.com/p5Hl2LawEx
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) March 27, 2020
“We can all do our jobs by washing our hands, refraining from touching our face with our hands, coughing or sneezing into our elbows, maintaining a healthy distance from others, and staying at home as much as possible,” Slater said in the clip that was shared by the team’s social media accounts. “I hope that real soon, we can all meet again at Gillette Stadium. And know this: in the meantime, we are thinking of you all, we love you all, and we’re praying for you.”
Fellow veteran Devin McCourty echoed Slater’s thoughts on the situation, while also trying to encourage fans in these tiring times: “We miss you, Pats Nation, we can’t wait to get back to Gillette [Stadium]. But we also want to let you know you’re not alone. We’re all in this, we’re all doing this together. We are together even though we are apart.”