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Amid all the palpable fears over the spread of the coronavirus, Houston’s iconic "Be Someone" message was just replaced with a new tag scrawled across the overpass.

The new message emblazoned across the bridge is now "Wash Ur Hands," which is the guidance from public health professionals to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

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It’s uncertain who made the public service edit to the overpass. In the past, when the "Be Someone" message has been altered or defaced, it simply appears again. The graffiti artist behind the iconic message prefers to remain anonymous. His work can be followed on this "Be Someone" Instagram account.

Since 2012, the "Be Someone" graffiti has become a Houston mantra. A few years ago, Coleton Emr launched a move to preserve the "Be Someone" message as a protected landmark.

“It only makes sense to protect the things you love and Houstonians definitely show their love for this iconic piece of art,” Emr said in a 2018 interview.

alison.medley@chron.com