The virus in the Soderbergh film, called MEV-1, started in Asia and is easily transmitted through touch. (Anyone who watches it will never look at a doorknob the same way again.) The first symptom is a hacking cough. (Spoilers ahead: MEV-1 takes out Ms. Paltrow, patient zero in the film; her young son; and a doctor played by Kate Winslet. Matt Damon, who plays Ms. Paltrow’s husband, proves immune.)

The concept of “social distancing” — which has recently been in the news — comes up often in the film. In a Feb. 25 news conference, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, recommended that cities and towns familiarize themselves with “social distancing measures,” like dividing school classes into smaller groups or advising businesses to allow their employees to work from home.

“Contagion” also shows diligent scientists who ultimately save the day — a comfort for anyone looking for optimism — while highlighting the work of conspiracy theorists profiting off the spread of disinformation. A blogger played by Jude Law is particularly sinister.

In an article for Vox, Alissa Wilkinson recommended watching the film for its skillful depiction of the spread of disinformation. “It feels like it could have been released yesterday,” she wrote.

Scott Z. Burns, who wrote the “Contagion” script, agreed.

“These viruses are tracer bullets through our society,” he said. “They illuminate a lot of the problems that we have. One of the things I didn’t anticipate was that we would have an issue with how truthful and on top of things our administration would be. I remember being most concerned that the spread of misinformation could be as prolific and dangerous as the virus.”

Mr. Burns said he had received a wide swath of responses on social media lately. Some praise him for the film’s accuracy. Others accuse him of being a member of the Illuminati. One person asked Mr. Burns if he thought it would be safe for him to travel to Hong Kong.

“I’m alarmed when people choose to ask a screenwriter for advice, rather than a doctor,” he said.