Idris Elba calls on world leaders to act to prevent coronavirus food shortages

Actor and his wife Sabrina Dhowre have recovered from Covid-19

Idris Elba has asked world leaders to act to ensure countries don’t face food shortages following the coronavirus crisis.

The Luther actor was one of the first celebrities to test positive for Covid-19 in March and has since recovered along with wife Sabrina Dhowre.

The couple have been appointed as UN Goodwill Ambassadors and on Monday (20 April) helped launch a $40 million (£32.2 million) fund to support rural farmers during the pandemic.

“It is about food,” Elba told BBC News. “It is about the basic necessity for human beings, and that will run out if the farmers can’t farm.”

He continued: “What we’ve learnt from Covid is that no man is an island.

“We’re all part of this world, so if we can help each other [with] forward-thinking – that’s going to save a lot of lives and some livelihoods.”

Yesterday, Elba suggested that people should spend a week in quarantine every year to commemorate the pandemic.

“You know, everyone’s sort of feeling the way we have been feeling, but it has definitely been sort of just a complete upheaval,” Elba said.

“I think that the world should take a week of quarantine every year just to remember this time. Remember each other. I really do.”