MERS Outbreak 2015: South Korean Pop Stars Post ‘Mask Selfies’ As Public Health Crisis Worsens

South Korean celebrities are taking to social media to promote public health by sharing photos of themselves wearing surgical masks, considered by health officials to be the first line of defense against the deadly MERS outbreak that struck the country in May.

Such “mask selfies,” referring to photos typically taken of oneself with a smartphone and shared on Instagram and Twitter, are considered a way for pop stars to encourage their fans to cover their faces to prevent the transmission of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS.