JOAN JETT On Coronavirus Pandemic: 'This Is Real And We All Must Take It Seriously'

Joan Jett is the latest musician to stress the importance of international solidarity as we address the effects of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

There have been more than 169,000 confirmed cases and more than 6,000 deaths so far, putting public health systems and emergency services under immense pressure.

Earlier today (Monday, March 16),the 61-year-old Jett took to her social media to share tips for navigating the coronavirus and she included the following message: "The next 3-7 days are critical / Let's all take the advice so we can protect each other &get back to doing what we [love] — playing rocknroll for you. Even if it hasn't hit your community yet, this is real &we all must take it seriously. Can't wait to see you all once we #BeatTheVirus"

There is no known cure yet for the flu-like virus, which originated in China.

Officials have made it clear that the elderly — especially those with heart, lung and immunological conditions — are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, with at least 25 deaths linked to one nursing home in Washington.

In Italy, which has one of the oldest populations in the world, one hundred percent of the people who have died have been over 60, and the vast majority over 80.

According to the Centers For Disease Control And Protection (CDC),coronavirus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person — between people who are in close contact with one another (within about six feet),and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Photo credit: Roger Erickson