The incessant talk online and in the news media is stressing some people out and they’re taking a break to direct their attention elsewhere.
After all, chances are you already know you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, practice “social distancing” as a form of crisis-appropriate and responsible behavior, and not buy the entire supply of your local supermarket’s toilet paper in one shopping blitz.
But if you want to remain informed and immersed in the coverage of the disease as it ebb and flow in various parts of the world – yet remain sane and in good spirits – it’s memes to the rescue.
Over the past couple of years memes got reviled in some media and political quarters as almost a dirty conspiracy by people with a sense of humor – but it looks like in this particular crisis, their presence isn’t unwelcome.
Memes and TikTok viral videos – that’s what insider.com identifies as popular “home remedies” for coronavirus anxiety and mental or emotional fatigue.
Much of this content doesn’t make fun of the disease itself while often managing to spread awareness of it in a fun way.
Everyone in media and tech having to work remotely from home to avoid convid-19.
Me, having been working from home as an illustrator for the last 11 years to keep costs down: pic.twitter.com/XfE6p46bJM
— Daniel Fishel 🍕🐀 (@o_fishel) March 10, 2020
Live footage of me, my wife and my daughter all working from home today (and for the next two weeks) pic.twitter.com/c8NuSQit3Q
— Dan Saltzstein (@dansaltzstein) March 11, 2020
Team meetings this week be like…. #Coronavirusireland #coronavirus #workingfromhome #WFH pic.twitter.com/PVOGJ0FYgW
— Stephen Clarke (@stephenwclarke) March 11, 2020
Me before working from home vs. me after a week of working from home pic.twitter.com/CmTkljdUya
— Mark Gongloff (@markgongloff) March 13, 2020
For example, many people are now experiencing remote work for the first time. But while a major benefit to remote work in normal circumstances is that it can be done from wherever you choose – this time, it means actual home confinement.
A host of memes and cartoons are appearing on social media to address this situation in a humorous way, like animator Jazmine Valickis’ “working from home lewk” posted on Twitter.
Steal my working from home lewk pic.twitter.com/trwYIdHiAL
— Jazzy 🪱 (@JazzysArt) March 9, 2020
This artist shared that she was overall optimistic, while her online contribution was meant to “normalize the situation without ignoring the concern.”
Me washing with Purell these days pic.twitter.com/jBj3TlWcPQ
— nick kroll (@nickkroll) March 11, 2020
“Girl with a Purell Earring, 2020” pic.twitter.com/vMyDgyGyU1
— Deanna Director (@DeannaDirector) March 6, 2020
The owners of purell and Lysol right now pic.twitter.com/JPkryDTZjV
— Cam newton overrated as fuck (@FUCKBOOG) March 12, 2020
Others are using memes to offer commentary on stockpiling and higher prices of items most in-demand, that proves any crisis is always both bad, and good for business.
