LOS ANGELES • Actors Julia Roberts, Hugh Jackman and Millie Bobby Brown are among the celebrities who will turn over their social media accounts to health experts - to share facts and promote a science-driven approach to fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Roberts, who won a Best Actress Oscar in 2001 for the movie Erin Brockovich, kicked off the project yesterday by interviewing Dr Anthony Fauci.

Dr Fauci is the director of the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the best-known member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

The #PassTheMic initiative is organised by global non-profit One Campaign, which aims to spotlight "health and economic experts... discussing a global response to the global Covid-19 pandemic".

The emphasis is on data, science and facts.

According to One Campaign, the stars will turn over their social media accounts for one day to front-line workers, health, economic and other experts.

In the interview with Roberts on her personal social media account, Dr Fauci says the main problem to solve is "the extraordinary health disparities" between countries.

"Right now, if you take southern Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Asia, South America and even parts of the Caribbean as areas that don't have the healthcare system to be able to respond the way one can respond in New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans or Chicago, we have really a moral responsibility for people throughout the world," he said.

Many of the participating celebrities have a big social media footprint. Roberts, Jackman and Brown have a combined total of about 71 million followers on Instagram alone.

Other celebrities taking part in the campaign include actors Penelope Cruz, David Oyelowo, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rainn Wilson and Shailene Woodley.

REUTERS