If you're exhausted explaining to your elderly parents why they should avoid crowds though they drink rasam every day or have spent hours trying to make your cousins understand why they should social distance despite not belonging to the 'high risk' category, you're not alone. Thousands of people around the world are attempting to do what you're doing - drive sense into their near and dear ones who just don't get it.
And now, there's a term that this community of exhausted people has coined to describe the ones who are getting on their nerves - COVIDIOTS. The Urban Dictionary defines a COVIDIOT thus:
Someone who ignores the warnings regarding public health or safety.
A person who hoards goods, denying them from their neighbors.
Did you see that covidiot with 300 rolls of toilet paper in his basket?
That covidiot is hugging everyone she sees.
PM Narendra Modi had asked peope to pay tribute to doctors and health workers by clapping or banging utensils from their balconies at 5 pm on Sunday. However, the avalanche of misinformation around the Janata Curfew saw several COVIDIOTS across India celebrating the 'death' of the virus by banging utensils and clapping hands. Even this misconception would have been harmless if not for the fact that many of them thought it was appropriate to gather together and even take processions against the coronavirus! This defeated the purpose of the curfew, which was to get people to stay indoors and practise social distancing.
Educated #COVIDIOT of Chennai practicing exemplary social distancing to save our doctorspic.twitter.com/glXFGxNKmB
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) March 22, 2020
Banging vessels, clapping and taking out procession on the roads at 5 PM in different cities defeated the whole purpose of Janata Curfew. When are we going to learn? This 5 PM clapping and banging vessels was a very bad idea.#JantaCurfew #COVIDIOTS #lockdown
— roychandan (@cretiredroy) March 23, 2020
PM #modi asked d nation to join #JanataCurfew to promote #SocialDistancing or self-imposed #Quarantine but looking at the celebrations during the #Janata_Curfew #5baje5minute, I realized that I was wrong in suspecting the voting machine. #COVIDIOTS #veetilirimyre #വീട്ടിലിരിമൈരേ pic.twitter.com/SkyUzPArff
— Vinayak M (@tigerkaks) March 23, 2020
It's official.
— manishbpl (@manishbpl1) March 23, 2020
We are officially a nation of idiots.#Coronavirus may get cured. What will happen to the #stupidity #pandemic gripping #India ? pic.twitter.com/64Lw0QaCDS
Unbelievable how many incidents are there, where people came out on the streets in groups to clap#Stupidity has no limits.. pic.twitter.com/VHX53Z45lV
— Print insider (@PrintInsider) March 23, 2020
Whether this Corona kill us or not but stupidity surely gonna kill the Indians someday.!!
— Rakesh Gupta (@therakesh2605) March 23, 2020
(Garbha ,dandiya ,etc.sab kr liya logo ne)#stupidity #coronavirusindia #CoronavirusPandemic #JantaCurfewChallenge #Covid19India #MondayMorning #mondaythoughts #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/uRZD2kngvS
#COVIDIOTS
— Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) March 23, 2020
They think coronavirus is some sort of a joke and they can tackle it by doing the exact opposite of what they are supposed to do. Social distancing, guys, social distancing. pic.twitter.com/HYnrtq082t
Malayalis trended #veetilirimyire (stay at home, followed by a cussword) after reports emerged of a Kasaragod man from Kerala who returned from Dubai and attended several crowded events - three weddings, a football match and even a cradle ceremony - despite having symptoms. He later tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the Kerala government to shut down the district. The hashtag has been clubbed with #COVIDIOT by a few too, to emphasise that people should follow quarantine instructions and not endanger others.
Stay home people. Quarantine yourself. Finish all the unfinished books an movies. Or clear the WhatsApp gallery. #veetilirimyre #വീട്ടിലിരിമൈരേ
— Gokul Madhav (@GokulMadhav3) March 21, 2020
Let the experts decide what medication to use and what quarantine measures are to be implemented, don't let your misinformed enthusiasm spread quackery. Don't be a #COVIDIOT. Listen to experts, stay home. #veetilirimyre
— Kiran Stephen (@irrelephant___) March 23, 2020
Corona starter kit:
— Mahadevan PB (@mahadevan_pb) March 21, 2020
1. #veetilirimyre
2. Hand sanitizer
3. Face mask
4. Water
Across the world, people have been expressing their frustration at those who remain convinced that COVID-19 is "just the flu" or are refusing to acknowledge the dangers that they're subjecting others to with their irresponsible behaviour.
People have also been tweeting stories of doctors and health workers who are putting themselves out in the frontlines because of COVIDIOTS who just won't sit at home and follow instructions.
#COVIDIOTS Critical care nurse breaks down after finding empty supermarket shelves following 48 hour-shift. pic.twitter.com/d79scmm0m7
— Umer Chaudhary (@umerchaudhary78) March 23, 2020
In #ITALY, the Morgues are Overwhelmed.
— Jerio vinnie (@JerioVinnie) March 23, 2020
You die alone. No Last Respect. #IStandWithItaly #COVIDIOTS #MainaAndKingangi #MulikaCorona pic.twitter.com/zI77p6GNTn
#COVIDIOTS
— Chandan Sharma (@indCsharma) March 23, 2020
One picture is enough to say a million stories...
The pain and sacrifices today the doctors and medical staffs are facing for us happily with selflessness is just 'Great'...
Love and Salute to them... pic.twitter.com/qrvkFZrNGN
Change this .... #COVIDIOT to #COVIDIOTS apparently this is a que outside Tesco in Dudley. What is wrong with people!! pic.twitter.com/huN1ytQydU
— Jon Jones (@JonJonesSnr) March 22, 2020
Complete Morons , today at Matlock Bath, think it’s a bloody bank holiday, suppose they have a house full of food and bog roll so make hay, IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS #COVIDIOTS pic.twitter.com/4iIhhhgRrW
— TT (@TrevorT52900021) March 22, 2020
The choice is yours - do you want to be a COVIDIOT or lie down on your couch and save the world?