Chef Olivier Anquier calls the pandemic 'paranoia forcibly injected,' and followers respond.

247 - In a social media post, French chef and television presenter Olivier Anquier, who is now a naturalized Brazilian citizen, said he refuses to close his establishments due to the coronavirus pandemic, which he called "paranoia forcibly injected."

"I refuse! I refuse to accept this forcibly injected paranoia. I refuse to be a hypocrite. I refuse to be a coward. I refuse to be just another sheep in the flock. I refuse to hide at home and abandon my customers who left their homes and went to my bakeries or restaurants," he wrote.

The chef, who has lived in Brazil since 1979 and owns two restaurants in São Paulo, criticized the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“I make a point of being present and greeting each of my clients, as I did yesterday morning before traveling to São Sebastião so that, at the end of the afternoon, I could present my show to an audience made up of simple people of all ages who came in large numbers and happily, and who think like me. Especially because, for many, the reality of life is much more cruel and violent than the coronavirus,” he added.

The post was met with negative reactions from his more than 600 followers, including celebrities who criticized his stance, stating that it does nothing to help fight the pandemic.

"The line between not panicking and being irresponsible is delicate. Extreme caution is necessary," warned presenter and filmmaker Marina Person.

“It’s a shame, it’s reckless of you not to recognize the seriousness of the situation. We are only at the beginning of the virus’s arrival here. All the countries that disregarded its importance are now in a severe health crisis. This is called selfishness and irresponsibility,” lamented actress Julia Lemmertz;