Reminder: You don't have to watch 'Contagion'

As cases of the coronavirus continue to spread, you may be thinking to yourself, "Hmm, maybe now is a great time to watch the 2011 medical thriller Contagion."

Here's another thought: Do not watch the movie.

Over the past few months, many people have turned to Steven Soderbergh's Contagion to prepare themselves for the coronavirus.

Though Contagion is nine years old, the film is currently eighth on the U.S. iTunes chart for all movie genres, and third on the chart for most popular thrillers. The Verge also reports that Contagion is a Top 10 iTunes movie in Australia, and that torrent downloads of the film have significantly spiked since January.

The movie does have a stacked cast that includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Kate Winslet, but the plot follows a frightening global pandemic, which means that it has the potential to further stoke people's coronavirus paranoia.

While some people do find pandemic fiction "comforting" during a crisis, that's definitely not the case for everyone.

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Before you decide to watch timely virus-related entertainment like Contagion, Outbreak, or Netflix's Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak, really think about whether or not it's the best choice for you. Will it take your mind off reality for a few hours and lighten the mood, or will it simply make you feel worse?

I personally know that a Contagion watch, as tempting as it may be, would send me into a stress spiral right now, so instead I'll be watching The Holiday. The romcom also stars Jude Law and Kate Winslet, but unlike Contagion it will make me feel GOOD.

At the time of writing this article more than 103,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed around the world, so it's understandable why people might feel anxious or compelled to watch an on-screen depiction of a worst-case scenario. But just because Contagion is trending and Gwyneth Paltrow Instagrammed about it doesn't mean you have to watch.

You can stay informed about the coronavirus while remaining calm. Keep washing your hands and try not to touch your face and watch something that makes you happy. Doesn't that sound a lot less stressful?