Lost vet Evangeline Lilly, who came under fire for brushing off coronavirus quarantine protocol, has issued an apology on social media.
“I want to offer my sincere and heartfelt apology for the insensitivity I showed in my previous post to the very real suffering and fear that has gripped the world through COVID19,” the actress wrote to her followers. “Grandparents, parents, children, sisters and brothers are dying, the world is rallying to find a way to stop this very real threat, and my ensuing silence has sent a dismissive, arrogant and cryptic message.”
In the controversial March 16 post that sparked the backlash, Lilly wrote: “Just dropped my kids off at gymnastics camp. They all washed their hands before going in. They are playing and laughing. #businessasusual.” When a follower questioned her cavalier comments, Lilly shot back: “Some people value their lives over freedom, some people value freedom over their lives. We all make our choices.”
Among those taking issues with Lilly’s anti-isolation stance was her former Lost co-star Maggie Grace, who wrote in the comments section of the aforementioned post that she found her comments “concerning,” adding, “There’s no need to panic, but at the same time this is about all of us — the vulnerable, the immunocompromised, older folks. Sure, it’s a free country, but how about choosing to exercise some of that wonderful freedom to have some compassion, trust the extensive science here and not overwhelm [the] health system. No doctor should have to choose which patients get life saving care and which patients get sent home to die — the sort of triage that is happening in Italy right now.”