Dr. Christian Jessen believes Italians are using the coronavirus as an "excuse" to have a "long siesta".
The 43-year-old physician has dubbed the spread of the virus in Italy - which is on complete lockdown with major public events and sporting contests cancelled- as a cover-up for the residents to skip work and spend their days napping and relaxing.
Speaking on FUBAR Radio\'s \'Access All Areas\', he said: "This might be a little bit racist to say this, [and] you\'ll have to make apologies, but do you not think it\'s a bit of an excuse?
"The Italians, any old excuse to, you know, shut down everything and stop work for a bit and have a long siesta."
The country has been placed on lockdown to help contain the spread of the coronavirus, and residents are restricted from leaving their homes except for necessities, such as work and health circumstances
Christian\'s comments come after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Thursday (12.03.20) that he would not be shutting the schools in the UK, to which Christian agrees.
He explained: "I do agree with him actually. I think it\'s an epidemic lived out more in the press than in reality. I mean if you think about flu right, without getting too heavy, flu kills thousands every single year."
Instead, he believes the media are "scare mongering" the public as he doesn\'t think "it\'s a real epidemic".
He added: "I think it\'s a Daily Mail epidemic. I don\'t think it\'s a - it\'s a real epidemic. Well, it\'s obviously a real epidemic, but I think we are more worried than we need to be.
"Now I might have to eat my words and I really hope I don\'t!"
Despite being told 10 people have now died from the virus in the UK, the \'Embarrassing Bodies\' star is adamant it is just "a bad cold".
He added: "Now I know that\'s tragic for those involved but it\'s not exactly huge numbers is it compared to flu, which is thousands.
"It doesn\'t affect mothers, it doesn\'t affect pregnant women, it doesn\'t affect children so far as we know. So why this massive panic? This is like a bad cold really, let\'s be honest."
