A researcher who has served as a medical consultant for the movie 'Contagion' in 2011 has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Ian Lipkin, a researcher and director of Columbia University's Center for Infection and Immunity, as well as a professor of epidemiology, neurology, and pathology, told the media that he has contracted the Covid-19 and also mentioned it can be contracted by anyone.
According to reports Lipkin had traveled to China in January and he returned back to his home and quarantined himself. He went to China to inspect the virus. He is said to have been instrumental in identifying the West Nile virus which was the cause of the encephalitis epidemic in New York in 1999. He is said to have assisted the World Health Organisation during the SARS outbreak in 2003.
Chief scientific consult
Lipkin has continuously talked about the novel coronavirus and social distancing. He explained during his interview that he felt miserable during the situation. He explained that if he contracted the disease then anyone can get it.
Lipkin was the chief consultant in the movie 'Contagion' which was a movie about a virus from China. In the movie, the character Ian played by Elliott Gould was based on Ian Lipkin himself. There has been a renewed interest in the movie due to the new coronavirus that has affected several countries across the world.
The Steven Soderberg's movie starred Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, and Marion Cotillard as a few of the leading characters. Contagion is also one of the most-watched and downloaded movies during the present pandemic. The researcher said that he didn't know where he contracted the disease because he had isolated himself when he returned back from China in January. He also said that it doesn't matter where he got the disease from because it has already spread to most of the country.
