'Shame on you': Tom Hanks joins growing ranks of Hollywood stars urging fans to wear face masks

The actor, who was one of the first celebrities to reveal he had Covid-19, begged people to follow simple safety procedures

FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2020 file photo, Tom Hanks arrives at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. For the first time in its lengthy history, ‘SatuShow more

He was one of the first Hollywood stars to reveal he had tested positive for Covid-19.

And now, more than three months after confirming he had recovered from the coronavirus, Tom Hanks has made a plea to US residents who refuse to wear face masks.

"There's really only three things we can do in order to get to tomorrow: wear a mask, social distance, wash our hands," the actor said at a press conference for the film Greyhound, which will be released on Apple TV+, People reports.

The Forrest Gump actor, 63, and his wife, Rita Wilson, 63, were diagnosed with Covid-19 while they were in Australia in March.

"Those things are so simple, so easy, if anybody cannot find it in themselves to practice those three very basic things – I just think shame on you," Hanks added.

"Get on with it, do your part. It's very basic. If you're driving a car, you don't go too fast, you use your turn signal and you avoid hitting pedestrians. It's common sense."

While face masks are mandatory for those stepping out in public in the UAE, in the US, the protective coverings are not mandatory in many states.

In early April, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people wear cloth face coverings in public places where other social-distancing measures were difficult to maintain.

In recent days, many Republicans and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force have been saying Americans must wear face masks in public places as infections have surged in large territories in the South and West.

Hanks is not the first A-list name to urge fans to wear the protective covering, with Jennifer Aniston also calling upon her 34 million Instagram followers to comply.

"I understand masks are inconvenient and uncomfortable. But don't you feel that it's worse that businesses are shutting down, jobs are being lost, healthcare workers are hitting absolute exhaustion, and so many lives have been taken by this virus because we aren't doing enough," the Friends star wrote alongside a shot of her wearing a mask.

"People seem worried about their 'rights being taken away' by being asked to wear a mask. This simple and effective recommendation is being politicised at the expense of peoples’ lives. And it really shouldn’t be a debate."

Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey, Mindy Kaling, Kerry Washington and Anne Hathaway have also shared social media messages in support of wearing face masks.

"Wearing a mask is not a political statement. It means you care about other people's health and safety," said Legally Blonde star Witherspoon.