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'Don't be a spreader': Mel Brooks, son send message about protecting elderly from coronavirus

Father and son are separated by a window in a call to action about social distancing.

Comedy icon Mel Brooks and his son, Max, have teamed up to bring a simple message to people amid the coronavirus pandemic: Don't be a spreader. Their chuckle-worthy video is aimed at reminding the young that older people are among the higher risk groups of severe illness if they catch the virus.

Mel Brooks, 93, is seen standing inside a home while Max, 47, is standing outside.

"If I get the coronavirus, I'll probably be OK," Max says. "But if I give it to him, he could give it to Carl Reiner, who could give it to Dick Van Dyke and, before I know it, I've wiped out a whole generation of comedic legends."

Reiner is 97 and Van Dyke is 94.

"When it comes to coronavirus, I have to think about who I can infect, and so should you," Max says, as Mel nods from the other side of the window.

Max then urges fans to follow guidelines suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health experts: engage in social distancing, avoid crowds, stay six feet away from people, wash hands often and stay home if at all possible.

"Do your part. Don't be a spreader," Max says as the hashtag #DontBeASpreader flashes on the screen.

The World Health Organization says older people and those with pre-existing health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes are more likely than others to develop serious illnesses if they contract COVID-19. 

Experts have noted that some people who are infected may show no symptoms of having the virus, but they can still pass it on to others.

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