Idris Elba was one of the first celebrities to test positive for Covid-19 and he announced it with a Twitter video a week ago. I didn’t realize that Idris is actually in America right now and self-isolating “on location” in New Mexico, where he was filming a movie before he tested positive. His wife Sabrina Dhowre was with him and is still with him – she even appeared in his video announcing that he tested positive. Now it turns out that Sabrina is positive too, which isn’t shocking. They were self-isolating together. Idris and Sabrina both spoke to Oprah about it for her Apple+ show.
Idris told Oprah that he’s feeling okay: As Elba told Oprah, he “hasn’t witnessed any major symptoms” and is “feeling okay,” explaining he took inspiration from Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s candidness about fighting the disease to show the world no one is immune to it. “I never sit still, so from a mental point of view, I feel pretty focused,” he told her… Elba told Oprah he so far isn’t sure how long he has to remain in quarantine, and that as a person with asthma, he’s concerned about his breathing, relying on an inhaler to stay healthy.
Idris on being asymptomatic: “It’s interesting and worrying that people are possibly carrying this disease and are seemingly okay, but can spread it easily.”
Sabrina on testing positive: “Actually, I found out this morning, Oprah, that I tested positive,” Dhowre said, telling Oprah she doesn’t regret sticking by his side, and that the thought of leaving him never crossed her mind. “I wanted to be with him. That’s the instinct of a wife. You want to go and take care.” She also is feeling healthy: “I don’t feel anything that would come to what people would now expect to be a symptom of coronavirus, which is really strange. It might change in the coming weeks, and we’ll keep everyone updated. But it is worrisome that we’re sitting here, two people, and … we’re asymptomatic.”
The “silver lining”: spending more time with each other. At home, they’re playing video games, chess, and cooking meals. To take proper care of their mental health, Dhowre told Oprah they’re “focusing on what we can control in the moment,” which for her means cleaning and spending time with family. For Elba, it’s about “staying creative” and “checking in” with loved ones.
Sabrina on the importance of social distancing: “I don’t want people to stop thinking about others. That’s one of the reasons social distancing is so important: not only to protect yourself, but to protect other people you might see. It’s a time for togetherness.”
What Idris wants: Elba wants Americans to urge our government to work on resources that’ll give all of us easy access to coronavirus testing—and to see the light at the end of the tunnel. “We just hope that everyone that’s got this, living with this, is just staying optimistic,” he said. “We’ll look past. And we really hope that everyone just stays focused, stays calm, and think about others as well.”
I’ve seen a lot of weird criticism for both Sabrina and Idris, like it was wrong of Sabrina to stay with Idris when he tested positive, and it was wrong of Idris for, like, not telling her to go away? Y’all will do anything to get Idris alone, I swear. I think Sabrina likely figured that by the time Idris tested positive, he had already exposed her and they might as well ride out the quarantine together. Plus, yes, she’s married to g–damn Idris Elba. I would be all “can I get anything for you, baby? Neck rub, quarantine beej, maybe some soup? I’m at your service.”
This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing 👊🏾👊🏾 No panic. pic.twitter.com/Lg7HVMZglZ
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 16, 2020
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 17, 2020
Photos courtesy of WENN.
People are weird.
Of course she us staying with her husband and yes that means she would have it or get it.
No criticism of rita wilson or tom Hanks.
Probably because most women don’t fantasize about sleeping with Tom. I don’t understand the criticism either. Women just mad about a man they will never meet or never have. She would’ve been criticized either way.
I thought that video was weird when he announced that Sabrina was all over but nothing was said of her status. I guess the likelihood of her already being exposed and having it was a no-brainer. Are they in US or UK? Wasn’t UK pushing herd immunity at the time of Idris infection?
This non asymptomatic carrier is going to make it so hard for schools to reopen. DJT is pushing end of 15 day quarantine this morning and I can see why folks will buy this poison but Sabrina is proof positive why they shouldn’t.
I just want to say upfront that of course she was going to get it. He was likely carrying it and passing it along before they knew he ought to be tested so isolating after his positive would have been a useless endeavor.
That being said, I’ve got one problem and one annoyance.
The problem is that both of them are/were asymptomatic when they got their tests, and are in a country where people are showing all of the symptoms and can’t get one. So after he tested positive, why was she tested at all?
The annoyance I have is admittedly petty. Miss ma’am really had her entire self shoved up in the first video and now up in the whole narrative and she’s really annoying me with the “of course I wanted to take care of him, he’s my huuuusband”.
He’s also asymptomatic, ma’am. He didn’t need extra care. You’re just here to let us know he’s married, which fine. It’s Idris, we get it. We’d be thirsty too
Yeah that’s what I don’t understand. Wouldn’t it just be presumed she’d also test positive? So why waste a test on her? What benefit was there to that? I don’t understand how being a rich celeb seems to get you ahead of the list. It’s not right.
There are plenty of tests.
For some reason the us government delayed testing.
Any complaints should be directed to the government.
@ Ali
That’s not what the public is being told. They are being told not to “waste” tests. Health care workers and those with severe symptoms are the ones who are high priority for testing. They stated this in a news conference just a day or so ago. It’s just odd that celebs have no issue getting tested, unless there is a private company doing it for a fee ???
@Ali, if people who show symptoms can’t get tested as they normally would for any other illness, then you in effect have a shortage.
I don’t get that either. She was around him before they knew, she’s clearly been exposed, why not just quarantine? It does seem like a waste of a test.
I’m glad they’re both doing ok though.
My daughter is self-isolating with her boyfriend who has ALL the symptoms but can’t get tested because the rule now in the UK is to self-isolate if you have symptoms but only call an ambulance if you feel that your life is in danger. The NHS111 Line had an hour wait so they gave up anyway. He’s doing ok for now but I still worry and I can’t go there and take care of them. So…. Elba’s wife was tested because she is married to a celebrity. And that sucks. End of.
I think what we’re missing here is that tests were initially unavailable, and are more available now. There are criteria for who gets tested by virtue of higher risk. I have a friend in his 60s who was tested because he had a fever and was in the more risky age range. Idris has asthma, so he is also in a higher risk group. His wife was exposed to him, so she is being tested because she was exposed to someone who is known to have COVID. These are some of the criteria for testing. If you just have a cold, are young, have no underlying health issues, and don’t have any known exposure to someone with COVID, you are asked to stay home unless you get very sick. Now, arguing whether or not these rules are fair is fine. But let’s not dump on Sabrina because she got a test. If Idris left quarantine with her, and she had the virus but no symptoms, she could spread it to others, and that’s enough reason to test.
@outofthecloset That is simply not true. They are not testing people who live with someone that tested positive. They are told to self-isolate together as a family and the person who tested positive to isolate in the household.
Oh, I know girl! She was making sure we don’t forget he’s married! 🤣
I have a friend who tested positive and they are just treating her family as presumed positives – without wasting tests. So they are quarantined and self monitoring
I think it’s impossible to live with someone and not get infected. There is no way to keep every germ to yourself. Also, I heard an interview on the radio the other day. The woman said her husband was infected but she wasn’t. She went out to lunch with 6 friends. They didnt touch, hug, share food, etc. She along with 4 of those friends ended up testing positive. There is no way to keep your germs to yourself.
What an absolute moron !
If I were friends with that woman, we wouldn’t be after that.
He is fine as in beautiful. And I think she had every right to be in the video with him. What I wonder is how long the virus stays around in asymptomatic people. When does it leave their system. Does it since they aren’t sick? Do they have antibodies fighting it?
How are you all with spouses/partners handling social distancing? Do you just consider yourselves one organism and roll with it it are you avoiding physical connection at this time?
My partner still is going into work (at a small business) whereas I’m working from home. We are not distancing from one another, but I do worry about exposure from him. Ho
He should put his clothes into the laundry, disinfect his belongs, and shower asap when coming home – as per a nurse I talked to a few weeks ago.
My spouse and I are hanging together. We are working from home so it isn’t an issue. But my daughter and I are doing social distancing because she got back from Spain a week ago. So we talk across the driveway at her house.