Billionaires shouldn't exist: Elon Musk slammed for tweet on coronavirus

Elon Musk may have had the best of intentions when he shot out a tweet on coronavirus but it has not gone down too well with a number of his followers on the microblogging site with some even complaining he was too rich to care about the novel virus which has now infected over 100,000 people worldwide.

The 'twitterstorm' erupted shortly after Musk, known for evoking mixed reactions through his posts, tweeted, "The coronavirus panic is dumb."

The coronavirus panic is dumb

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2020

While medical professionals too are mostly of the view that panic around coronavirus is unnecessary and that proper precautions are good enough to stay healthy, many cities across the world are reporting panic buying of items such as face masks, sanitizers and toilet paper. Musk may have intended his tweet to advise people to calm down but the reaction from many was anything but.

Billionaires should not exist.

And this kind of senseless disregard for the wellbeing of vulnerable members of our society helps prove why.

— Kai Newkirk #NotMeUs (@kai_newkirk) March 6, 2020

Thanks. Didn't realize that public health issues were a speciality of yours.

— Michael Marshall Smith (@ememess) March 6, 2020

I dare you to tell that to the relatives of people who’ve died from it.

— Fohtohgirl💎 (@fohtohgirl) March 7, 2020

I expected Elon at least to understand exponential growth curves. 3-4% mortality for an exponentially spreading virus that can hit everyone eventually is no small thing.
Careful and robust preparation is necessary.
Chinese drastic response at least slowed it.

— Dr Able Lawrence MD DM (@abledoc) March 7, 2020

Are you sure this is a considerate Tweet for someone with so many followers, against all advice of experts?

— Jens Eisert (@jenseisert) March 8, 2020

Musk has often faced Twitter's ire for his posts. Loved and often loathed for his rather eccentric views, the Tesla CEO continues to invite opinions galore on his social media interactions. In the case of coronavirus, however, many have also supported him and said that the current state of panic around the world should be replaced by a general awareness program while those with the virus should be dealt with effectively yet in a sensitive manner.