Bethenny Frankel said she decided not to get tested for the coronavirus because it's 'selfish' for celebrities to receive special treatment
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
Former "Real Housewives of New York City" star Bethenny Frankel said celebrities who are getting tested for the coronavirus are "selfish."
The reality star and entrepreneur told Insider she was feeling "very very sick" just a few weeks ago but decided against getting screened for the virus.
"Weeks ago I felt very very sick and I wasn't sure what was going on but there's no way I would have gone to take a test when I'm hearing that people are dying," Frankel said.
The 49-year-old said the rich and famous are "not supposed to be jumping the line to get a test" if they're not considered high-risk.
Frankel advises wealthy people to instead donate to her relief initiative BStrong, which is providing FDA-approved medical masks, gowns, body-suits, and goggles for hospitals in the states hardest hit by the coronavirus.
"This is next level, this affects the entire country. We're doing $25 million dollar transactions, we need big donors to come in and really put their money where their mouth is," Frankel said.
Just a few weeks ago, reality television star and entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel said she was feeling "very very sick."
As a New Yorker living in the state worst affected by the coronavirus, she assumed the obvious — that she had become infected with the virus.
But instead of getting tested for it like many other celebrities and people of a similar financial standing as her, she decided to not get diagnosed.
"Weeks ago I felt very very sick and I wasn't sure what was going on but there's no way I would have gone to take a test when I'm hearing that people are dying," Frankel told Insider.
While the country faces a shortage in testing kits, those with millions to their name in money and social media followers have a higher chance of being tested.
Diane Zuckerman, the president of the National Center for Health Research in Washington, DC, previously told Insider: "When something is available but limited, and there's limited access but it exists, people with more fame and more money are more likely to get it."
Even President Donald Trump acknowledged these social inequalities during a March 18 press conference when he said it wasn't right for the rich and famous to have first access but, "perhaps that's been the story of life."
Celebrities are some of the first to get their hands on the coronavirus tests
"Story of life" or not, Frankel said it's "selfish" for A-Listers to buy their way into the country's health care, particularly during the current pandemic.
"It's kinda typical you know, just getting a reservation first, getting first-class, getting things before everybody else," Frankel told Insider.
"But when you are talking about healthcare and just to be sure that you know you're okay … If you're not feeling like you're at real risk, high risk, then yeah I think it's selfish."
When Idris Elba realized he had been in contact with someone who had the novel coronavirus, the actor got tested and received his positive result within days, even though he was asymptomatic.
Kris Jenner, too, had no symptoms but got herself tested after possible exposure at a birthday party. She received a negative result.
Utah Jazz players in Oklahoma were put front of the line when it was discovered one member of the team had tested positive. The state used 60% of its testing capacity on players for just one positive result to show up.
—Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 16, 2020
Frankel said she knows of others, like her, who panicked after recording high temperatures but decided to not get checked, realizing there were people in more vulnerable positions than them.
"If you feel like you just have a flu and you're in your thirties and you just don't feel great and you breathe fine and your temperature's not 105," Frankel said.
"You're not supposed to be jumping the line to get a test before somebody who has asthma and is 75 years old and clinging to their life."
Her advice for celebrities considering getting tested is simple and "basically obvious" — wait.
Frankel is producing and delivering millions of masks for hospitals across the US
But what can't wait is the sourcing of necessary medical supplies and protective gear like N95 masks for public hospitals and clinics.
And Frankel said that's where celebrities can use their star power for the good of the community.
Frankel — who featured in eleven seasons of "The Real Housewives of New York City" — left the popular reality show to focus on her philanthropic work.
Heidi Gutman/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Previously, she founded low-calorie beverage company Skinny Girl Cocktails, which she sold for $100 million in 2011, but in 2017 she delved into the nonprofit sector by launching BStrong — a disaster relief initiative.
BStrong has assisted with the Australian bushfires, Californian wildfires, the 2018 Guatemalan volcano eruption and now "the single greatest crisis of many, many lifetimes" — the coronavirus.
She initially began with a goal of committing 10,000 masks for two hospitals in California and in New York and now, a few weeks later, "it's become millions and millions of protective gear and millions and millions of dollars."
She's partnered with local and state governments across the US to provide FDA-approved medical masks, gowns, body-suits, and goggles for the states hardest hit by the coronavirus.
BStrong is also distributing "corona kits" for families and healthcare workers, which include masks, gloves, antibacterial, and sanitization wipes.
Currently, they're sourcing from supply chains right across the country and even manufacturing their own products from BStrong's warehouse in Miami.
"The money that we've raised will be used for many of the hospitals and clinics and people who can't help themselves to spread this gear around the country to different states," Frankel said.
But her most recent accomplishment was delivering one million full-body hazmat suits to the New York state government on March 31 after working directly with Governor Cuomo to "blanket the entire state."
BStrong's donations have skyrocketed thanks to celebrity promotion
Frankel told Insider "the promotion has been great" from the likes of Amy Schumer, Ellen DeGeneres, Nina Dobrez, Shaun White, Mindy Khaling, and Michelle Pfieffer.
—Amy Schumer (@amyschumer) March 24, 2020
"People are getting it and people are really helping us spread the word, which is amazing and they bring more money," Frankel said.
And while their donations have exponentially increased since they began focusing on the coronavirus — Frankel said it's still not enough.
"This is next-level, this affects the entire country. We're doing $25 million dollar transactions, we need big donors to come in and really put their money where their mouth is," Frankel said.
Could celebrities be contributing more to the crisis?
As entertaining as it is for us at home to watch Instagram videos of our favourite celebrities bored at home or giving renditions of pop songs — can they do more?
"I don't think that they know exactly how to help, this is not for everybody and it's a very challenging thing," Frankel said.
"It took me a long time to figure out that this is my calling and how to help them."
But in a time when social media has more influence than ever — Frankel does encourage A-Listers to "keep sharing the message and posting" about social-distancing and donating.
"And I think instead of doing a pushup contest, we should be basically asking people for donations for pushups," Frankel said referring to one of the popular Instagram challenge's.
"People have to get that message and understand this isn't just a snow day, it's not just about staying home and waiting for it to be over," Frankel said.
"This is the single greatest crisis we've ever had and we will have fewer healthcare workers, like this is real, people are dying."
Charlie Roina (Jill Fritzo PR)
While Frankel prays for more donations, she also hopes this whole experience will provide a "global reset" for people to think less about themselves and more about the importance of helping others.
"A reset from superficiality and capitalism and focusing on the wrong things," Frankel said.
You can donate to BStrong's coronavirus relief efforts here.
Read more:
Celebrities are getting coronavirus tests faster than everyone else
When Bethenny Frankel was cast on 'Real Housewives of New York,' she had $8,000 to her name
Read the original article on Insider
