Mount Pleasant Magazine Documenting Covid-19

23 www.CoronavirusMag.com | www.ReadMPM.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com T he scourge of COVID-19 has separated us physically, but the mutual hardships we have endured in these unprecedented times have also served to unite us globally and locally. Whether assisting our most vulnerable citizens’ access to food, shelter or medicine, or just reaching out via social networking, virtual group chats—or even apartment balconies—to stay connected and lift dampened spirits, acts of kindness and beauty are ubiquitous. Worldwide, people are devising creative ways to maintain our communal bonds and show our solidarity. In Italy, after the government declared a total lockdown and ordered social distancing measures when leaving the house for essentials, a country renowned for its opera singers found solace in a shared national passion: music. Neighbors in towns across the country are coordinating nightly balcony and window sing-alongs and jam sessions through social media. Germany followed suit with musical flash mobs of their own, as professionals and amateurs joined together in internet-broadcasted concert performances from wherever they sheltered in place. Chinese produce farmers and truck drivers, without any guarantee of payment, supplied and delivered vital food aid to Wuhan, the coronavirus crisis epicenter, that was quarantined from the rest of China. In Iran, videos of hazmat suit-clad doctors dancing to boost patients’ and each other’s morale have gone viral. #ViralKindness campaigns are launching to help high-risk populations during the pandemic. A group of Canadian high schoolers created a free Joy4All telephone hotline that self-isolating seniors can call to hear pre- recorded jokes, stories and positive messages. High school teens in Silver Spring, Maryland, are voluntarily delivering groceries and necessities to seniors sheltering in place. BY COLIN MCCANDLESS Banding Together While Staying Apart How COVID-19 and Social Distancing has Brought the World Closer il t yi t