Month: April 2022

Categories
Pandemic

Doomscrolling and doomsurfing

Bad news is prolific these days, whether you read about it in newspapers or watch it on TV. When using mobile devices, the user has instant access to everything. They can scroll through depressing news feeds or search for the latest pandemic news. Doing this excessively creates a state of fear and anxiety in readers especially when the subject matter is Covid-19 or the Ukraine war, hence, the reason that the terms “doomscrolling” and “doomsurfing” came into existence.

Merriam-Webster’s has an entry for both terms under their “Word’s we’re watching” section. Under the opening title “Can you think of a better way to spend your time?” the online dictionary summarizes the two terms: “Doomscrolling and doomsurfing are new terms referring to the tendency to continue to surf or scroll through bad news, even though that news is saddening, disheartening, or depressing. Many people are finding themselves reading continuously bad news about COVID-19 without the ability to stop or step back.”

Doomscrolling (Shutterstock: Holly Harry)

In the April 11, 2020 issue of The Los Angeles Times, columnist Mark Barabak defines “‘doomscrolling’ as slang for an excessive amount of screen time devoted to the absorption of dystopian news.” The origins of “doom scrolling” go back to pre-pandemic times when “Quartz reporter Karen Ho has been posting regular reminders on Twitter — often, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. — to stop doomscrolling and go to bed” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

The earliest reference to “doomsurfing” I found appears in an article written for the New York Times on March 20, 2020 entitled “The Week in Tech: How to Stop Coronavirus ‘Doomsurfing’.” Columnist Kevin Roose writes: “I should not have read the Imperial College coronavirus report before bed. The now-famous report by a team of British epidemiologists, which was posted online this week, laid out the worst-case scenario for the coronavirus, predicting that as many as 2.2 million Americans could die if the disease was left to spread unchecked…I’ve been doing a lot of this kind of doomsurfing recently – falling into deep, morbid rabbit holes filled with coronavirus content, agitating myself to the point of physical discomfort, erasing any hope of a good night’s sleep. Maybe you have, too. There’s nothing wrong with staying informed. But we need to practice self-care, and balance our consumption of grim news with gentler kinds of stimulation, for our own health and the sanity of those around us.“

If you’re constantly finding yourself scrolling through bad news, do yourself a favor: turn off the phone or television, put your sneakers on and go out for a walk – and don’t forget your mask.

Social Media Trends as of May 17, 2022

Facebook #doomscrolling: 4,200 people are posting about this
Instagram #doomscrolling: 7,408 posts
TikTok #doomscrolling: 2.5 million views
YouTube #doomscrolling: 167 videos and 108 channels

Facebook #doomsurfing: people are posting about this
Instagram #doomsurfing: 400 posts
TikTok #doomsurfing: 760 views
YouTube #doomsurfing: less than 100 videos and channels

Google Trends: I mentioned earlier in this post that Karen Ho began using the term Doomscrolling on Twitter as early as 2018, however it did not get picked up by Google Trends until the week of April 12, 2020 where it registered as a tiny blip. The term peaked during the week of November 1, 2020 and again on January 10, 2021 and then its popularity went down and leveled off.

doomscrolling search term

Google Trends: doomsurfing appeared during the week of March 15, 2020 when the pandemic arrived in America. It reached its peak during the week of September 6, 2020 before leveling off and falling back down to zero.

doomsurfing search term

Sources:

Barabak, Mark. “‘Quarantini.’ ‘Doomscrolling.’ Here’s how the coronavirus is changing the way we talk.” The Los Angeles Times. April 11, 2020. URL: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-04-11/coronavirus-covid19-pandemic-changes-how-we-talk.

Holly Harry. “Doomscrolling on mobile phone on table with glass of wine and tissue, continuing to search or scroll through bad news and events on social media, even though it is depressing.” Shutterstock.com. Standard License. Royalty-free stock vector ID: 2133172859.”

“On ‘Doomsurfing’ and ‘Doomscrolling.’ Can you think of a better way to spend your time?” Merriam-Webster Dictionary. URL: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/doomsurfing-doomscrolling-words-were-watching.

Roose, Kevin. “The Week in Tech: How to Stop Coronavirus ‘Doomsurfing’.” The New York Times. March 20, 2020. URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/technology/coronavirus-doomsurfing.html.

Categories
Pandemic Virus

Mask mandate

On April 23, 2020 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that face masks be worn to prevent the spread of Covid-19. As the pandemic continued, many state and local governments issued mask mandates which required people to wear masks on airplanes, public transports and in government buildings and schools. While each state had its own mask mandate, most required masks to be worn in public spaces such as shops, health centers and schools. Although mask mandates have been lifted in most of the United States, the Federal mandate requires the wearing of masks on airplanes and public transit.

On April 13, 2022 the Biden administration extended the mask mandate for another 15 days. The news website NBC reports: “The Biden administration is extending a mask mandate for airplanes and transit for 15 days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. The mandate was set to expire after April 18, following a one-month extension announced in March. Airlines have required masks on planes since early in the Covid pandemic in 2020, but the Biden administration made them mandatory in early 2021” (Josephs).

After a lull in Covid cases across the nation, the new BA.2 variant started spreading quickly in March 2022. This resulted in the city of Philadelphia reintroducing a mask mandate that was only recently lifted. NPR reports: “Starting April 18, Philadelphia will require people to again wear masks in public places after health officials reported a rise in COVID-19 cases. COVID-19 cases have increased more than 50% in the previous 10 days, officials with Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health announced Monday. On April 11, the department said the city was averaging 142 new cases per day. ‘Our city remains open; we can still go about our daily lives and visit the people and places we love while masking in indoor public spaces,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement. “I’m optimistic that this step will help us control the case rate‘” (Diaz).


Social Media Trends as of May 17, 2022

Facebook #maskmandate: 18,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #maskmandate: 36,899 posts
TikTok #maskmandate: 256.3 million views
YouTube #maskmandate: 1,500 videos and 696 channels

Google Trends: mask mandate appeared in April 2020 and peaked in early 2021. The popularity of the term has waxed and waned as states and local municipalities lift mask mandates and reintroduce them depending on the transmission and severity of new Covid variants.

mask mandate search term

Sources

Diaz, Jacklyn. “Philadelphia to reinstate its mask mandate after a rise in COVID cases.” NPR.org. April 11, 2022. URL: https://www.npr.org/2022/04/11/1092174190/philadelphia-mask-mandate-covid.

Josephs, Leslie. “Biden administration extends transportation mask mandate for 15 more days.” CNBC.com. April 13, 2022. URL: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/13/us-extends-mask-mandate-for-airplanes-and-transit-by-15-days.html.

Categories
Pandemic Virus

Masktard

Yes, “masktard” really is a word. It began to appear online in March 2020 during the outbreak of the pandemic when people were ordered to wear masks to stop the spread of Covid-19. I’ve overheard the word in conversation.

Depending on one’s point of view, the term can have different meanings. It doesn’t appear in Google Trends or as an official entry in the dictionary, however, it does appear as an entry in the Urban Dictionary: “A person who doesn’t question authority and mindlessly complies to mandates (not laws) given by left authoritarian government, to the detriment of personal autonomy, freedom, jobs, livelihoods. Their own mantra of “my body, my choice” goes out the window, because their fear and devotion to compliance overrides your rights as a free citizen to choose for yourself. They insist you must do as they do or you’re a selfish grandma-killer, which betrays their faith in the mask’s effectiveness in the first place.

I was just going about my business and this masktard got in my face and lectured me about not wearing a mask” (asenath7766).

Dictionary.com has “masktard” listed as a suggested word: “Depending on your point of view, a person who is militant about wearing face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, or a person who is reluctant to wear one” (plainname).

An article published for Westward.com informs readers that mean girls are most likely to use Covid-19 insults: “Welcome to 2020, when mean girls, and mean people in general who think they’re indestructible, feel free to insult those who insist on following public-health officials’ advice regarding an infection that’s killed more than 170,000 Americans to date. And indeed, the novel coronavirus has produced an explosion of new vocabulary specifically designed for this purpose…[concerning] ‘Masktard,’ when I first came across this slur, I couldn’t imagine a teen girl actually using it. A nanosecond later, I totally could” (Roberts). It remains to be seen whether the author’s personal experience is widespread among teenagers.

Masktard was the subject of a comedy video created by the J-Man Or Riot! channel on October 24, 2021. The video is called “Covidiots: The Everyday Adventures Of Maskhole & Masktard-Ep.1 Shaving.”

Social Media Trends as of May 17, 2022

Facebook #masktard: people are posting about this
Instagram #masktard: 41 posts
TikTok #masktard: 1777 views
YouTube #masktard: less than 100 videos and channels


Sources:

asenath7766. “Masktard.” Urban Dictionary. September 22, 2020. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=masktard.

plainname. “Masktard.” Collins Dictionary. March 9, 2020. URL: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/submission/22773/masktard.

Roberts, Michael. “COVID-19 Insults Most Likely to Be Used by Mean Girls.” Westword. Denver Westword, LLC. August 19, 2020. URL: https://www.west
word.com/news/covid-19-insults-most-likely-to-be-used-by-teen-mean-girls-11772993.

The J-Man Or Riot! “Covidiots:The Everyday Adventures Of Maskhole & Masktard-Ep.1 Shaving.” YouTube. October 24, 2021. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mNL5hiktbI.

Categories
Pandemic

Maskne

Wearing a mask offers protection against Covid-19 but it doesn’t protect you from a facial condition called “maskne.” Wikipedia explains the origin of the term: “Maskne (pronounced mask-nee and sometimes spelled mask-ne or mascne) is a portmanteau of “mask” and “acne.” The term appeared in use during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to refer to acne and other rashes of the face that occur in association with mask wearing.”

Some aren’t particular about wearing the same mask more than once. It’s a bad habit to get into considering the amount of debris and bacteria a mask can accumulate. Conditions such as friction and hot weather make the likelihood of getting maskne worse.

According to Dictionary.com, maskne first appeared on Twitter in March 2020 as more people wore masks to protect themselves from Covid-19.

“Pro of being forced to wear a mask all day at work: no one can smell my coffee breath.
Con: mask induced acne (or maskne).”

“So who else has maskne (acne from wearing a mask every day)??? Where are my healthcare ppl at cause I know I’m not alone in this.”


The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology reports that maskne is a disorder related to the “increased duration of mask wear.” Tropical climates can cause excessive sweating which aggravate the condition. Maskne can appear within six weeks of regular mask wearing. The article suggests using “antibacterial gentle cleansers and moisturizers formulated as prescription emollient devices, which help maintain a healthy skin barrier/microbiome. Spot acne treatment with benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, sulfur, α-hydroxy acids, and retinoids predispose to irritant contact dermatitis under occlusion” (Teo).

Below is a useful guide on how to prevent maskne:

Shutterstock: Caelestiss

YouTuber Hyram offers useful tips on how to alleviate mask acne.

Social Media Trends as of May 17, 2022

Facebook #maskne: 83,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #maskne: 226,217 posts
TikTok #maskne: 227.2 million views
YouTube #maskne: 1,100 videos and 912 channels

Google Trends: maskne didn’t appear until the week of May 10, 2020. It reached its peak during the week of August 16 that year, during the height of summer, when those who developed maskne wanted to learn more about remedying the condition.

maskne search term

Sources:

Caelestiss. “How to prevent Maskne tips – acne or irritation caused by wearing protective face mask during Coronavirus pandemic. Infographic vector illustration isolated. female character portrait with pimples.” Shutterstock.com. Standard License. Royalty-free stock vector ID: 1872229447.

Hyram. “How to Prevent & Get Rid of “Maskne.” YouTube. August 12, 2020. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVVEiNKLDWo.

“Maskne”. Dictionary.com. August 4, 2020. URL: https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/maskne/?itm_source=parsely-api.

“Maskne”. Wikipedia. 9 January 2022. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maskne.

Teo, Wan-Lin. “Diagnostic and management considerations for “maskne” in the era of COVID-19.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. October 1, 2020. URL: https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(20)32664-5/fulltext.

Categories
Pandemic Vaccine Virus

Plandemic and Scamdemic

Today’s blog is a continuation of terms ending in “demic” which is derived from the Greek word dêmos, meaning people of a district. Today I will discuss two of them: “Plandemic” and “Scamdemic.” Some may take offense at these words, however, this is not my intent. I am simply listing words and phrases that have come into use during the pandemic.

Dictionary.com doesn’t have a formal definition for “plandemic” but it does appear in their article “Are These COVID-19 Words The Worst To Come Out Of The Pandemic?” The opening paragraph begins with the following statement: “What a year 2020 has been – and it’s not even over yet! With any new global event, new words tend to pop up, for better or worse, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. Twitter user @Lemonhausen offered up plandemic as his “worst coinage” of 2020. The coinage plandemic, a blend of plan and pandemic, took off with the emergence of a conspiracy theory video that claimed COVID-19 is a planned and pre-arranged pandemic (hence plandemic) for pharmaceutical companies to make money.” The Urban Dictionary’s definition is “a term used by stupid people who do ‘research’ by watching conspiracy theory videos on YouTube.”

The term “scamdemic” appears in the Collins Dictionary as a “new word suggestion” which was submitted on August 9, 2020 and is still pending approval. The definition is “a pandemic that either does not exist or is not as serious as governments and health experts claim. Some see it as a ‘scamdemic’, ie a hoax. In this version Covid-19 does not exist at all or is no worse than a mild bout of flu. [The Economist, Sept 2020]” (AustinAllegro). Wiktionary defines the term as a”period of time where the idea of an ongoing pandemic is used to defraud the general public.” The only thing I have to say about this is the author of this blog was diagnosed last year with Covid-19 so the virus is real.

Social Media Trends as of May 17, 2022

Facebook #plandemic: temporarily hidden

Facebook #scamdemic: temporarily hidden
YouTube #scamdemic: 592 videos and 274 channels

Google Trends: plandemic briefly appeared during the week of April 26, 2020 and reached its peak during the week of May 3, 2020. The popularity of the term quickly went down to almost zero.

plandemic search term

Google Trends: scamdemic appeared during the week of March 29, 2020 and reached its peak during the week of July 19 that year. Since then, the popularity of the term has remained constant but has mostly halved from its peak.

scamdemic search term

Sources:

99swag. “Plandemic”. The Urban Dictionary. September 17, 2020. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=plandemic.

“Are These COVID-19 Words The Worst To Come Out Of The Pandemic?” Dictionary.com. September 21, 2020. URL: https://www.dictionary.com/e/worst-covid-19-words/.

AustinAllegro. “Scamdemic.” Collins Dictionary. August 9, 2020. URL: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/submission/22807/scamdemic.

“Scamdemic”. Wiktionary. April 24, 2020. URL: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/scamdemic.

Categories
Pandemic Virus

Pre-pandemic and post-pandemic

The terms “pre-pandemic” and “post-pandemic” refer to the time before Covid-19 and the time after the pandemic has been declared formally ended, which has not yet happened.

As yet, there is no definition in any online dictionary for the term “pre-pandemic,” however it does appear in Dictionary.com in a use case for the term “premise”:

“The company had pre-pandemic plans to build five to 10 more, but Covid-19 proved to be a mass blow for a retail store chain built on the premise of offering a space for children to play in-person around purchasable toys.“

In an article for EveryDayHealth.com, writer Elizabeth Millard discusses the challenges of returning to pre-pandemic routines: “Although 43-year-old Minneapolis area resident and artist Christy Johnson is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and her state has lifted its mask mandates and many restrictions, she’s not eager to jump right back into her pre-pandemic routines. ‘During the pandemic, I felt happier than I ever have,” she says. “I’m a big introvert and homebody, so it’s not surprising that I’m not excited about getting back to my go-go-go life of pre-pandemic times.’”

We all look forward to the time when the pandemic will be declared over, done and finished with and we can begin the process of adjusting to a post-pandemic life where zoom meetings, cashless transactions and remote working are the norm. An article published in the November 24, 2020 issue of the online Harvard Gazette asks readers: “What will the new post-pandemic normal look like?..Harvard experts say some of our adaptations have accelerated already existing trends, like the development of a cashless society, the increase in remote work, and the decline of brick-and-mortar retail. And, they expect, some of these will become a more permanent part of the post-pandemic’s “new normal”” (Powell).

In some online news articles the terms “pre-pandemic” and “post-pandemic” appear together. A Forbes article published on September 29, 2020 and entitled “Pre-Pandemic Vs. Post-Pandemic Property Management Teams” reports on the challenges that property managers faced when dealing with clients during Covid-19 and how adopting different technologies allowed them to move to a fully remote learning model, as the author says “maintenance requests still get resolved, prospect queries still get answered, unit showings still occur and communication with residents is still frequent” (Kunes).


Social Media Trends as of May 17, 2022

Facebook #prepandemic: 16,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #prepandemic: 48,220 posts
TikTok #prepandemic: 79.6 million views
YouTube #prepandemic: 270 videos and 208 channels

Facebook #postpandemic: 26,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #postpandemic: 69,888 posts
TikTok #postpandemic: 26.8 million views
YouTube #postpandemic: 8,600 videos and 605 channels

Google Trends: pre-pandemic didn’t appear until the week of March 15, 2020 when coronavirus reached the United States. It reached its peak during the week of February 27, 2022 when enough time had passed that people felt the “pandemic era” was distinct in and of itself and they could refer back to the time before Covid-19 or “pre-pandemic.”

pre-pandemic search term

Google Trends: post-pandemic appeared during the week of March 29, 2020. When the outbreak first appeared in the United States it was said that two weeks of quarantine would “flatten the curve” and everyone could get back to normal life. However, two weeks turned into two years, and although Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted almost everywhere in the U.S., we are still living in a pandemic which has not quite become endemic as of this time of writing. The term reached its peak during the week of May 3, 2020 and since then has been through a series of peaks and troughs.

post-pandemic search term

Sources:

Kunes, Nathaniel. “Pre-Pandemic Vs. Post-Pandemic Property Management Teams: Who Has The Advantage?” Forbes.com. September 29, 2020. URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesrealestatecouncil/2020/09/29/pre-pandemic-vs-post-pandemic-property-management-teams-who-has-the-advantage/.

Millard, Elizabeth. “Why Getting Back to Pre-Pandemic Routines May Sound Exhausting, Psychologists Say.” EveryDayHealth.com. August 5, 2021. URL: https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/why-getting-back-to-pre-pandemic-routines-may-sound-exhausting-psychologists-say/.

Powell, Alvin. “What will the new post-pandemic normal look like?” Harvard Gazette. November 24, 2020. URL: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/11/our-post-pandemic-world-and-whats-likely-to-hang-round/.

“Premise” (Pre-pandemic). Dictionary.com. URL: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/premise.

Categories
Pandemic Virus

End-demic

Following on from yesterday’s blog, a variation of the word “Endemic” has appeared. Spelled out as “End-demic,” this is a play on words to mean the pandemic is over, life has gone back to normal, and the virus has become endemic, meaning it’s prevalent in society but not disruptive to people’s lives and most individuals have developed immunity to Covid-19 or been vaccinated against it.

The term is too new to have appeared in Google Trends or the Urban Dictionary or any dictionary for that matter but it has appeared in a few online articles, usually within the title. Here are a few examples:

Ian Mount, a writer for Fortune.com, wrote an article on January 11, 2022 entitled “Spain suggests a radical ‘end-demic’ approach to Omicron: Just treat it like the flu.”

An article published on January 13, 2022 for the website SeekingAlpha was entitled “Wall Street Breakfast: End-Demic.” It poses the question “How and when will the pandemic be over?”

On February 21, 2022 an article entitled “Working Towards The “End-Demic” was published on TotalFood.com. In writing for the restaurant industry, the author says “With an eye towards what we are calling the ‘End-Demic’ there is cause for restaurants and operators to be cautiously optimistic. The industry has survived two years that many could never imagine. Many of these strategies we used as an industry will serve a building blocks for the restaurant industry’s future” (TotalFood.com).

A tweet from KFBK News Radio featured a poll asking readers if they think it’s time to consider the Covid-19 pandemic as an “end-demic. 88% of respondents said “Yes.”


The term “end-demic” appears on apparel. Online store RedBubble.com is selling T-shirts with an “End-demic” motif.

Classic T-Shirt
End-demic T-shirts

And finally, never let an “End-demic” go to waste. One UK company created an End-Demic Party website, selling party favors and decorations. The theme reflects the mood of those who yearn to go out and celebrate with family and friends after spending over a year cooped up in lockdown and quarantine.

celebrate the “End-Demic” with a party!

Social Media Trends as of May 17, 2022

Facebook #enddemic: people are posting about this
Instagram #enddemic: 38 posts
TikTok #enddemic: 16,300 views
YouTube #enddemic: less than 100 videos and channels

Google Trends: enddemic appeared as a blip in March 2020 and peaked during the week of January 16, 2022 as people were hoping that the pandemic was in its endgame.

enddemic search term

Sources:

“End-demic” motif. RedBubble.com. URL: https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/End-Demic-by-ArtToons/50244261.FB110.

“End-Demic Party.” End-Demic Party. 23 May 2021. URL: https://www.facebook.com/putski77.

“John McGinness Poll Question.” Twitter.com. KFBK News Radio. February 1, 2022. URL: https://twitter.com/kfbk/status/1488639156066549761?ref_src=twsrc
%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488639156066549761%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkfbk.iheart.com%2Ffeatured
%2Fjohn-mcginness%2Fcontent%2F2022-02-01-mcginness-poll-question-should-covid-be-considered-an-end-demic-yet%2F.

Meister Seelig & Fein LLP. “Working Towards The ‘End-Demic.’” TotalFood.com. February 21, 2022. URL: https://totalfood.com/working-towards-the-end-demic/.

Mount, Ian. “Spain suggests a radical ‘end-demic’ approach to Omicron: Just treat it like the flu.” Fortune.com. January 11, 2022. URL: https://fortune.com/2022/01/11/flu-omicron-spain-eu-covid-endemic/.

“Wall Street Breakfast: End-Demic.” SeekingAlpha.com. January 13, 2022. URL: https://seekingalpha.com/article/4479475-wall-street-breakfast-end-demic.

Categories
Pandemic Virus

Epidemic, Pandemic and Endemic

I decided to make one blog post for the terms Epidemic, Pandemic and Endemic rather than have separate posts for each of them. It makes sense to discuss all the terms together in one post as there are important differences between all three terms and all of them involve the spread of infectious disease.

Dictionary.com defines these terms as follows: “An epidemic involves the wide-ranging spread of a disease throughout an entire area or particular community where it’s not permanently prevalent. A pandemic involves an even wider spread, often reaching across the entire world. The word endemic is used to describe a disease that persistently and regularly spreads within a particular area or region (that is, it never fully goes away)—for example, the flu is considered endemic in many places. The COVID-19 virus is not yet considered endemic, but medical experts expect that it eventually will become endemic.”

To expound upon these terms a bit further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define an epidemic as a sudden increase in infections above what would be considered normal for a population in a particular geographic area. Consider a situation where there is an outbreak of measles in a school. The disease is quickly spread by coughing and sneezing and before long measles has spread throughout the town the school is located in. Because measles is a highly contagious disease, it doesn’t take long for the virus to cross geographical boundaries into nearby towns and then counties. The disease has now become an epidemic (Level of disease).

China was the first country to experience the Covid-19 virus. This rapidly infectious disease spread to other provinces in China and then spread to other countries. It arrived in the United States at the beginning of January 2020. Since then it has spread throughout the world and the level of the disease is that of a pandemic. Covid-19 has infected and killed millions of people across the globe.

When Covid-19 has a constant presence in a particular geographical area but is not causing disruptions to daily life, as has previously been the case with lockdowns and quarantine, then the level of the disease is said to be endemic. This is due to the fact that most people would have been infected with the virus and developed natural immunity and also because many people were vaccinated against Covid-19. In an article for the CNBC Health and Science column, Holly Ellyat writes that the “Professor David Heymann of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that ‘the U.K is the closest to any country in being out of the pandemic if it isn’t already out of the pandemic and having the disease as endemic.'”

Social Media Trends as of May 17, 2022

Facebook #epidemic: 39,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #epidemic: 279,085 posts
TikTok #epidemic: 355.8 million views
YouTube #epidemic: 15,000 videos and 5,900 channels

Facebook #pandemic: 1,100,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #pandemic: 5,361,938 posts
TikTok #pandemic: 4.5 billion views
YouTube #pandemic: 140,000 videos and 62,000 channels

Facebook #endemic: 16,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #endemic: 131,934 posts
TikTok #endemic: 32.6 million views
YouTube #endemic: 1,000 videos and 694 channels

Google Trends

The search term epidemic peaked during the week of March 15, 2020 before tailing off in June that year.

epidemic search term

The pandemic search term also peaked in popularity during the week of March 15, 2020, which is very similar to the “epidemic” search term.

pandemic search term

The popularity of the search term endemic also peaked around the same time as the terms epidemic and pandemic but didn’t completely tail off. As Covid-19 infected more and more of the population, medical experts suggested that the disease would become endemic in the population.

endemic search term

Sources:

Ellyat, Holly. “UK could be among the first countries to emerge from Covid pandemic, top scientist says.” CNBC.com. Jan 12, 2022. URL: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/12/uk-could-be-first-country-to-emerge-from-pandemic-expert-says.html.

‘Epidemic’ vs. ‘Pandemic’ vs. ‘Endemic’: What Do These Terms Mean?” Dictionary.com. January 20, 2022. URL: https://www.dictionary.com/e/epidemic-vs-pandemic/.

“Level of disease. Section 11: Epidemic Disease Occurrence.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 18, 2012. URL: https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson1/section11.html.

Categories
Pandemic Virus

“Stay home, save lives”

The phrase “Stay home, save lives” started to enter public consciousness by the end of March 2020 when the pandemic was in full swing and state and local governments mandated lockdowns, stay-at-home orders and quarantine measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 and keep people safe.

The earliest mention of the phrase I could find was a March 30, 2020 article written by Natalie Daher for the website NowThisNews.com. She writes: “In a bleak 30-second video, a government-led public health campaign in Oregon lays out the stark facts of the coronavirus pandemic, while making a blanket advisory for residents to stay home: ‘Don’t accidentally kill someone.’ The public service announcement is part of a wider campaign called “Stay Home, Save Lives,” as confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. skyrocket, with hot spots in the Pacific Northwest, New York State, and Louisiana.“

During the opening months of the pandemic, a number of people got creative in their efforts to encourage others to “stay home.” One website contained instructions on how to add a “stay home” photo frame to your Facebook profile picture to support “the fight against Covid-19” (Shaul). Badges, T-shirts and stickers started to appear with variations of the “Stay home” slogan.

Facebook photo frame

There were those who could not “stay home” to save lives because they were out saving other lives. These were the front-line doctors and nurses of hospitals and other medical facilities who were saving the lives of patients diagnosed with Covid-19. There were those working in supermarkets and other retail stores who provided us with groceries and essentials during lockdown. Let’s not forget the utility workers and truckers too.

Social Media Trends as of May 16, 2022

Facebook #stayhomesavelives: 350,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #stayhomesavelives: 787,735 posts
TikTok #stayhomesavelives: 165.7 million views
YouTube #stayhomesavelives: 7,400 videos and 3,100 channels

Google Trends: stay home save lives appeared during the week of March 15, 2020 when the pandemic reached the United States and state governments were launching media campaigns to encourage residents to stay home. The popularity of the term waned in the following weeks as the message sunk in.

“stay home save lives” search term

Sources:

Daher, Natalie. “You Have To See This State’s Gripping Coronavirus PSA.” NowThisNews. Group Nine Media. March 30, 2020. URL: https://nowthisnews.com/news/oregon-coronavirus-psa-urges-residents-to-stay-home-save-lives.

Hendydraw. “I can’t stay home. I’m a nurse” short design. BuyTShirtDesigns.net. April 4, 2020. URL: https://www.buytshirtdesigns.net/t-shirt-design/i-cant-stay-home-im-a-nurse-shirt-design-png-buy-t-shirt-design-artwork/.

Shaul, Brandy. “Facebook: Here’s How to Add a Stay Home Frame to Your Profile Picture.” Adweek.com. May 4, 2020. URL: https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/facebook-heres-how-to-add-a-stay-home-frame-to-your-profile-picture/.

Categories
Pandemic Pandemic Art

Quaranteen

No, its not “quarantine.” Having teens myself, I can vouch that this is a word I’ve used and not one I made up. It appears in the online Macmillan Dictionary as “a teenager who survived Covid-19 or a child who survived and became a teenager in this decade.” The entry has an example of how the term is used: “The quaranteens, Jed and Joe, were finally let out of isolation after the virus outbreak.”

The term has made its way into mainstream media. An article written by Susan Leighton for the website Fandom says “Michael Myers has been trying to stay busy since being sidelined due to COVID-19. Quaranteen, a fun video spoof takes a look at the horror icon behind closed doors.”

Mike Myers in “Quaranteen”

During lockdown, nine teenagers in the United States decided to write a collaborative book entitled “QuaranTEEN” which describes their experiences during lockdown. The book was published on August 17, 2020 and can be ordered from Amazon. The introduction is as follows: “In March 2020, the United States effectively shut down. A new coronavirus, COVID-19, swept the globe and everyone was told to stay at home until further notice. Although the unprecedented quarantine affected everyone, there was one group that seemed particularly impacted–teenagers. No longer able to go to school, participate in sports, or visit with their friends, the situation was a significant challenge for them.This collaborative book was created to give teens a positive, proactive project during this time…Each of their stories provides their unique perspective of this moment in time as well as the lessons they have learned along the way.“

In 2020 two teens living in the San Francisco Bay Area created Quaranteen.net, a resource to “provide a creative outlet for children, teenagers, and adults to share their projects, hobbies, and boredom busters, a place for working parents to share tips on childcare and find activities/videos for their kids, and a place to provide guidelines on how to stay safe during this time, as well as links and resources on how you can volunteer or what you can do to help people during the pandemic.” The website has a section for individuals to blog about their experiences. Even though lockdowns have been lifted in the United States, they are still in effect in other countries and you never know when they may be mandated here again, so this is website is a good resource.

Social Media Trends as of May 16, 2022

Facebook #quaranteen: 15,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #quaranteen: 32,837 posts
TikTok #quaranteen: 21.7 million views
YouTube #quaranteen: 393 videos and 155 channels

Google Trends: quaranteen appeared as a small blip on Google Trends during February 2020. This was probably because Covid-19 appeared in China before it spread to the United States and this country was the first to implement mandatory quarantine procedures. When the pandemic reached America the following month, the popularity of the term quickly went vertical, reaching its peak during the week of March 15, 2020, when the U.S. implemented quarantine mandates, stay-at-home orders and virtual school.

quaranteen search term

Sources

Leighton, Susan. “Michael Myers stars in Quaranteen: The night he stayed home.” Fansided. Minute Media. 2021. URL: https://1428elm.com/2020/07/06/michael-myers-quaranteen-stayed-home/.

Myers, Mike. “Quaranteen.” YouTube. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6zzrfPd7Z8.

“Quaranteen.” MacMillan Dictionary. Submitted by Elinor. April 6, 2020. URL: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/quaranteen.

“QuaranTEEN: Our New Normal: Nine Teenagers Share Their Experience of a Worldwide Pandemic.” Authors: Kelli O’Brien Corasanti, Brady Durkin, Eva Fahrenkrog, Brook Holman, Lauren Kern, Chase Lormand, Chris Selvarajah, Jeremy Selvarajah, Helen Treacy, Mia Conca. Independently published (August 17, 2020). URL: https://www.amazon.com/QuaranTEEN-Teenagers-Experience-Worldwide-Pandemic/dp/B08FSMPK21.

“QuaranTEEN.” 2020. URL: https://www.qteen.net/.