Private Island: Kim Kardashian Bashed For Holding Lavish Birthday Amid COVID-19

Kim Kardashian is catching heat on social media  for hosting a lavish party abroad, without social distancing or masks, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The reality star said “after two weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine”.

In photos of the event shared on Twitter, Kardashian West said she was “humbly reminded of how privileged my life is”.

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The coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 1.1m people, and has caused economic devastation worldwide.

Reports in the US show that a large number of people have claimed unemployment benefits this year as a result of job losses due to the pandemic.

“Before Covid, I don’t think any of us truly appreciated what a simple luxury it was to be able to travel and be together with family and friends in a safe environment,” Kardashian West wrote in a series of tweets.

“After two weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time.

“We danced, rode bikes, swam near whales, kayaked, watched a movie on the beach and so much more.

“I realise that for most people, this is something that is so far out of reach right now, so in moments like these, I am humbly reminded of how privileged my life is.”

Some people have reacted to her tweets with memes – particularly focusing on Kardashian West “surprising” her friends with a private island trip.

In this version, for example, photos of her birthday party are replaced with a still from the Wicker Man.

Others have criticised her for appearing to brag about having a party on social media.

“Cool, people have had to say goodbye to loved ones over the phone while they died alone in a hospital,” writer Jenna Quigley said. “But neat trip to post all over social media while the world suffers. So humble and so down to earth, truly.”

She then added: “Like, have a birthday trip but to post it all over social media right now is disgustingly tone deaf AT BEST.”

In addition, one Twitter user reposted one of the photos which featured a member of catering staff wearing a mask, to imply that the ability to “pretend things were normal” at the party didn’t extend to workers.