'World War Z' Author Max Brooks Wants You to Learn Social Distancing to Help Keep Mel Brooks Safe

Even if you're not in the high-risk demographic for coronavirus—meaning you're on the younger side, don't have any respiratory conditions and are generally in good health—you still have to be mindful of safety practices, to make sure you don't infect anyone who is in the high-risk demographic. And to help demonstrate why exactly this is so important, author Max Brooks has shared an explainer video on Twitter co-starring his father, comedy icon Mel Brooks.

In the brief, 50-second clip, the younger Brooks appears on one side of a glass door, while his dad stands on the other side. The fiction writer—who has written several books about zombie outbreaks, including 2006's blockbuster title World War Z—quickly introduces himself and his dad, and notes their respective ages: 47 and 93.

"If I get the coronavirus, I'll probably be OK," Brooks says in the video, before gesturing to his father. "But if I give it to him, he could give it to Carl Reiner, who could give it to Dick Van Dyke, and before I know it, I've wiped out a whole generation of comedic legends. When it comes to coronavirus, I have to think about who I can infect."

After putting the situation in terms that any comedy fan could understand, Brooks then shares some basic safety tips that everyone should keep in mind, regardless of age. "Practice social distancing," he says. "Avoid crowds, wash your hands, keep six feet away from people, and if you've got the option to stay home, just stay home. Do your part, don't be a spreader."

Naturally, Mel Brooks gets the last word in. "Go home," he tells his son from behind the glass door.

The Brooks' adorable educational video comes as coronavirus is spreading across the United States. More than 3,700 cases have been confirmed throughout the country, with the death toll at 69. To combat the spread of the virus, schools are closed, major cultural events have been postponed or outright cancelled, restaurants and bars are shutting down—even Disney World is closed. (Though public health concerns didn't stop a ton of people from gathering at the Magic Kingdom on Sunday night, much to the dismay of Abigail Disney, granddaughter of one of the Walt Disney Company's cofounders.)

Many celebrities are also trying to encourage people to stay home and be safe. Arnold Schwarzenegger showed how nice it can be to just cuddle up to your pets (even if they're mini-donkeys and not, you know, a dog or a cat), and Ariana Grande recently assured us that our hip-hop yoga classes can "f**king wait" and who among us would dare defy La Grande?

So listen to Max Brooks: Don't be a spreader, and don't endanger an entire generation of comedic geniuses, please.