Author: theauthor2022

Categories
Pandemic Virus

Twindemic

Twindemic first appeared in an article written for the New York Times on August 16, 2020. Jan Hoffman, who writes about behavioral health, referred to a nightmare scenario that would give public health officials chills – the combination of Covid 19 and “a severe flu season, resulting in a twindemic.” Health experts worried that people choosing not to get the flu shot would make matters worse if they got both respiratory illnesses together. Some people worried that getting the flu shot would make them more susceptible to getting Covid-19.

The term was added to Dictionary.com on September 9, 2020 and here’s the definition:

The term twindemic blends twin, here meaning “twofold” or “double,” and pandemic, a global outbreak of a disease, such as COVID-19. In other words, a twindemic represents “twin pandemics” of flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Twindemic may also be informed by a word closely related to pandemic, epidemic—a term for a widespread but more temporary disease outbreak that is often used in the context of seasonal influenza (flu, for short) outbreaks.

The term spread as quickly as the virus and appeared in various publications round the world. As recently as June 24, 2022 an article appeared in the New Zealand publication Stuff that described the country as being “in the grip of a ‘twindemic’ as a severe flu season combines with Covid-19 to put stress on the health system and leave workplaces with staff off sick” (MdConald) Nikkei Asia published a news article on June 19, 2022 declaring that “Australia is seeing a surge in flu cases even as the country continues to contend with the coronavirus, creating the specter of a ‘twindemic’ health crisis experts have been warning about” (Koshikawa).

NBC New York uploaded a video to YouTube on November 9, 2021 which discusses the chances of a “twindemic” happening. Watch closely as medical experts tell you what you need to know.

Courtesy of Dzmitry

Social Media Trends as of June 18, 2022

Facebook #twindemic: 1,300 people are posting about this
Instagram #twindemic: 1,375 posts
TikTok #twindemic: 1.6 million views
YouTube #twindemic: less than 100 videos and channels

Google Trends: twindemic appeared during the week of August 16, 2020 when Jan Hoffman used the term in an article published that very week in the New York Times. The popularity of the term tailed off for a while but peaked in October 2021 as the Omicron variant spread quickly throughout the world in a second wave of the pandemic during the flu season.

twindemic search term

Sources:

Dzmitry. “Pandemic or twindemic symbol” image. Adobe.com. File no: 465531514.

Hoffman, Jan. “Fearing a ‘Twindemic,’ Health Experts Push Urgently for Flu Shots.” New York Times. August 16, 2020. URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/
08/16/health/coronavirus-flu-vaccine-twindemic.html.

Koshikawa, Noriaki. “Australia faces ‘twindemic’ threat as flu and COVID collide.” Nikkei Asia. June 19, 2022. URL: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/
Australia-faces-twindemic-threat-as-flu-and-COVID-collide.

MacDonald, Liz. “‘Twindemic’ takes toll on health sector, schools and businesses as flu overtakes Covid-19.” Stuff. June 24, 2022. URL: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/
health/129061676/twindemic-takes-toll-on-health-sector-schools-and-businesses-as-flu-overtakes-covid19.

NBC New York. “Covid and the Flu: Could We Face a ‘Twindemic’? NYC Experts Weigh In | NBC New York.” YouTube. November 9, 2021. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMLENhB_8Vc.

“Twindemic.” Dictionary.com. September 9, 2020. URL: https://www.dictionary.com/e/
tech-science/twindemic/.

Categories
Pandemic Vaccine

Vaxhole

Move over “vaxinista,” here comes the “vaxhole.” This nasty insult was written about in an article published for the New York Daily News on March 4, 2021. “OK, New Yorkers, get vaccinated, but don’t be a “vaxhole” about it,” says columnist Brian Niemietz. The word “vaxhole” has two meanings – the first refers to an entry in the Urban Dictionary describing vaxhole as a person “who has been fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus and brags about it.” Niemitetz says: “the newly defined word was added to the crowdsourced site just before March got underway, but aggregate site Fark.com introduced it to a wider audience Tuesday – the same day New York State lowered the age of those qualified for inoculations to 30.” The second definition of vaxhole is a person who cheats “the system to get vaccinated before their demographic is legally eligible.”

In April 2021 Stephanie Sengwe published an article for Purewow.com entitled “You Got Your Vaccine (Yay!)—Just Don’t Be a *Vaxhole* About It.” Sengwe describes different types of “vaxholes” from people who post selfies with their Covid-19 vaccine cards to those who “might brag about getting the Pfizer shot and put down a friend who got Johnson & Johnson.” A major vaxhole is someone who goes to crowded public spaces without wearing a mask because they think they’re immune from getting Covid-19 but they make those around them who are following the rules very uncomfortable. How does one avoid being a vaxhole? Senge advises “always refer to the pros (medical professionals and the CDC) and if you don’t want to be a vaxhole, respect the safety rules wherever you are (whether it’s a grocery store or an airplane).”

On December 8, 2021, the actress Jennifer Anniston said in an interview that she was called a “liberal Vax-hole” because of her pro-vaccine stance. An article published for the political magazine The Hill reports Anniston saying “‘You know, someone literally called me a ‘liberal Vax-hole’ the other day,’ the ‘Morning Show’ and former ‘Friends’ star told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Wednesday. ‘I don’t understand the disconnect right now,’ Aniston said, ‘being bullied for wanting people not to be sick? I mean, that’s what we’re talking about‘” (Kurtz).

courtesy of memecreator.org

Social Media Trends as of June 17, 2022

Facebook #vaxhole: people are posting about this
Instagram #vaxhole: 1,208 posts
TikTok #vaxhole: 550,200 views
YouTube #vaxhole: less than 100 videos and channels

Google Trends: vaxhole first appeared as a tiny blip during the week of February 7, 2021 probably around the time when vaccines became widely available. The term peaked in popularity during March 14, 2021 before tailing off.

vaxhole search term

Sources:

Kurtz, Judy. “Jennifer Aniston says she’s been called a ‘liberal Vax-hole’ over pro-vaccine stance.” The Hill. December 8, 2021. URL: https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/584878-jennifer-aniston-says-shes-been-called-a-liberal-vax-hole-over/.

“Vaxholes, vaxholes everywhere” Buzz Lightyear meme. MemeCreator.org. URL: https://www.memecreator.org/meme/vaxholes-vaxholes-everywhere/.

Niemietz, Brian. “Urban Dictionary has a word for people who boast about being vaccinated: ‘vaxholes’.” New York Daily News. March 30, 2021. URL: https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-vaxhole-urban-dictionary-vaccinated-20210330-kehubu27ajhudps5pawwoleu5e-story.html.

P F Cool. “Vaxhole.” Urban Dictionary. March 1, 2021. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=vaxhole.

Sengwe, Stephanie. “You Got Your Vaccine (Yay!)—Just Don’t Be a *Vaxhole* About It.” PureWow.com. April 29, 2021. URL: https://www.purewow.com/wellness/vaxhole.

The Word Is channel. “Vaxhole.” You Tube. URL: https://www.youtube.com/
shorts/k3JDni-Yhgs.

Categories
Pandemic

Vaxinista

Last summer’s trend was social media virtue signaling by vaxinistas – persons who’ve had both jabs and broadcast their vaccine selfies on Facebook and Instagram with their immunization cards while wearing vaccine merchandise. They can be found at the mall and in restaurants and are not difficult to spot.

The word Vaxinista is a combination of fashionista and vaccine. The Urban Dictionary defines vaxinista as “a person who gets the vaccine and flaunts it with high end shopping, trips, and parties.

– Once Lisa got the vax she turned into such a vaxinista” (M. Wolly).


An article entitled “Got the jab, bought the T-shirt: ‘vaxinistas’ and the rise of pandemic merchandise” appeared in the 15 June 2021 digital issue of The Guardian and explains the collecting and wearing of pharmaceutical merchandise:

“The pandemic has sent us into a frenzy of collecting, but not for obvious reasons,” says Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos, a consumer and business psychologist at UCL. “People think these items might be valuable in 10 years’ time – but they’re also buying them as a way of taking control of – or even marking – what has been a very difficult situation.”

Merchandise, and in particular slogan tees and pins, has been an expression of its wearers’ values for years. Vaccine merch serves a very particular purpose: at a time of wearing your political values on your sleeve, it gives physical form to a historic moment that would otherwise be forgotten, perhaps save your vaccine sticker. Like punters buying band merchandise after a concert, it’s a way of saying I was there, says Tsivrikos. “People are trying to be a part of the conversation. Wearing something is not just about fashion; it’s a reflection of the situation and, in this instance, even taking a pro-vaccination position.”


The April 15, 2021 edition of the South Florida Sun Sentinel said that vaxinistas “[take] COVID seriously but treat the achievement of immunity as just another high-status consumer item to be thrown in the face of their friends, or ‘friends,’ like a new BMW X3 or the admission of their offspring into a competitive college” (Fleshler).

Relaks radio presenter, Sarah, produced a video called “Rise of the Vaxinista” which was uploaded to YouTube on 8 July 2021. She talks about the latest trend of vaxinistas broadcasting their vaccine status using pharmaceutical merchandise such as T-shirts featuring the logos of companies that produce Covid-19 vaccines such as Pfizer and Astra Zeneca. Some of this merchandise is selling for hundreds of pounds on sites such as eBay.

Vaccine merchandise proliferated during 2021 as people proudly showed off their vaccinated status by wearing T-shirts, bracelets and caps. The photo below is a Vaxinista T-shirt available from Amazon.

Vaxinista T-shirt available on Amazon for men and women

Social Media Trends as of June 12, 2022

Facebook #vaxinista: people are posting about this
Instagram #vaxinista: 30 posts
TikTok #vaxinista: 732 views

Google Trends: vaxinista first appeared during the week of April 11, 2021 which probably coincided around the time that vaccines first became widely available. Many people were posting pictures of themselves getting the first and second vaccine shots and some posted pictures of their Covid-19 immunization cards.

Sources:

Ferrier, Morwenna. “Got the jab, bought the T-shirt: ‘vaxinistas’ and the rise of pandemic merchandise.” The Guardian. 15 June 2021. URL: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/jun/15/got-the-jab-bought-the-t-shirt-vaxinistas-and-the-rise-of-pandemic-merchandise.

Fleshler, David. “Meet the latest COVID annoyance: The vaxinista.” South Florida Sun Sentinel. April 15, 2021. URL: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/coronavirus/vaccines/fl-ne-covid-vaxinista-ss-prem-20210415-dtihyumhvvg2pd7tf2ey27sxey-story.html.

M. Wolly. “Vaxinista.” Urban Dictionary. March 23, 2021. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=vaxinista.

Relaks Radio. “The rise of the Vaxinista!” YouTube. July 8, 2021. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZLxLKH5x4.

Vaxinista Tag. “Vaxinista – Vaxxed Vaccinated 2021 Rainbow T-Shirt” image. Amazon.com. URL: https://www.amazon.com/Vaxinista-Vaxxed-Vaccinated-Rainbow-T-Shirt/dp/B0963K7RJ8.

Categories
Pandemic

Coronacoaster

The pandemic has taken a huge emotional toll on everyone from lockdowns to quarantine and all the travel restrictions imposed upon us. Our emotions have gone up and down like a rollercoaster. One minute we’re loving lockdown and the ability to work remotely, the next we’re crying with anxiety wondering if the world will ever go back to normal. We get excited about breathing fresh air without having to wear a mask, then some new variant comes along and mask mandates get reintroduced. Hence the term “coronacoaster” – because that’s what it feels like to ride the pandemic rollercoaster.

Coronacoaster is found in the Collins Dictionary, albeit it as a new word suggestion, and is defined as “the severe mood swings experienced during the coronavirus

– every day is a ride on the emotional Coronacoaster” (AustinAllegro).


The Urban Dictionary entry for coronacoaster is “when your emotions are on a rollercoaster due to all of the news each day about the Corona virus.

– I wake up and I’m in a good mood, then I watch the news and I start crying – Wow, you’re on a Coronacoaster!” (Plan-z).


The term coronacoaster has appeared in several online articles. During Christmas 2021, an article was published for the UK edition of Glamour Magazine entitled “The Coronacoaster is back.” It discussed the feelings of being on the crazy coronacoaster:

The emotional ups and downs of lockdown. One minute you’re baking banana bread, and loving the simple life, the next you’re weeping and missing people you used to actively avoid down the pub. Cast your mind back to two years ago, when lockdown was brand spanking new and we all said things like “it’ll be over by summer”. The first month was a whirlwind of Houseparty, banana bread, and drinking gin at 3PM just because we could. That was the first coronacoaster high…But the coronacoaster was a trickster, it fooled us all into thinking the high was actually the low, and that it was much shorter – instead, we’ve had endless loops, highs, and crashing lows…With the new Omicron variant cancelling Christmas parties and triggering yet another work from home order from the government, it feels like there’s a dark tunnel ahead that no one’s sure holds light at the end (hello, booster shots), or another twist and turn.


Several YouTube channels provided content about the Coronacoaster. The video below was produced by South Tees Medical Psychology and gives advice on how to survive your journey on the coronacoaster and recover from the physical and emotional stresses caused by the pandemic.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by being on the coronacoaster you’re not alone. We’re all on this ride together and trying to do our best to “stay safe, sane and sanitized” (Songbird).

Social Media Trends as of June 8, 2022

Facebook #coronacoaster: 5,300 people are posting about this
Instagram #coronacoaster: 12,591 posts
TikTok #coronacoaster: 249,900 views
YouTube #coronacoaster: less than 100 videos and channels

Google Trends: coronacoaster appeared as a blip in early March 2020 just as lockdowns were underway. The term peaked during the week of July 5, 2020, no doubt because most people were stuck indoors during the summer and unable to travel because of the different restrictions imposed by states and countries.

coronacoaster search term


Sources:

AustinAllegro. “Coronacoaster.” Collins Dictionary. October 1, 2020. URL: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/submission/22899/coronacoaster.

Laws, Chloe. “The Coronacoaster is back. Thanks to Omicron and yet another WFH order, we’re back on the emotional Covid rollercoaster.” Glamor Magazine. 13 December 2021. URL: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/coronacoaster-experience.

Plan-z. “Coronacoaster.” Urban Dictionary. April 8, 2020. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Coronacoaster.

South Tees Medical Psychology. “Introducing The Coronacoaster.” YouTube. November 18, 2021. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcyZ-qerZPs.

Categories
Pandemic Virus

Covidy

Covidy is an adjective that describes anything pertaining to Covid 19 and the pandemic. Wiktionary’s definition is as follows:

– Infected with or containing the COVID-19 virus.
– Relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Urban dictionary has a few definitions of Covidy and I’ve listed two of them below:

Definition #1: “an adjective or adverb applied to any and all items and/or behaviors related to the germy world of Covid 19 brought into a quarantined household by the outside world.

–Keep that covidy grocery bag out of my kitchen! And while you’re at it, stop walking around the touching everything without washing your hands first and acting all covidy like that. Ugghh” (Dallasjeni).

Definition #2: “Related to, suffering from, or seeming to suffer from COVID-19 or the ill-effects of the quarantine.

–‘Damn, John, that’s a pretty covidy haircut you’ve got there.’ Or: ‘That sweaty covidy cougher in the grocery store was freaking me out’” (Dictionnaire Diabolique).


Covidy has appeared in a few news articles. As recently as May 30, 2022, the New Zealand Herald reported that the plane Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her delegation were traveling in, broke down in Washington DC and her press secretary, Andrew Campbell, tested positive for Covid-19 in San Francisco. Political editor Claire Trevett wrote that “Ardern arranged her own press conference with [the] media – a job usually done by Campbell. Ardern said she was ‘cutting out the middle man’ since Campbell was ‘a bit Covidy at the moment’ and it was still very early in San Francisco” (Trevett).

American stand-up comedian DeRay Davis recently tweeted “new word: Covidy” on January 4, 2022:

Covidy also found its way into designer clothing as illustrated below by an Etsy sweatshirt with an “It’s too Covidy Outside” design.

TLPChoodies sold on Etsy

Social Media Trends as of June 6, 2022

Facebook #covidy: people are posting about this
Instagram #covidy: 236 posts
TikTok #covidy: 2.5 million views
YouTube #covidy: less than 100 videos and channels

Google Trends: covidy first appeared during the week of March 15, 2020 around the time of lockdown. The popularity of this search term peaked in July 2021 and then tailed off as the pandemic waned.

covidy search term

Sources:

“Covidy.” Wiktionary. December 2020. URL: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/covidy.

Dallasjeni. “Covidy.” Urban Dictionary. April 13, 2020. URL: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/covidy.

DeRay Davis: Hood Hero. “new word: COVIDY.” Twitter. Jan 4, 2022. URL: https://twitter.com/deraydavis/status/1478508318201102352?lang=en.

Dictionnaire Diabolique. “Covidy.” Urban Dictionary. April 15, 2020. URL: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/covidy.

TLPChoodies. “It’s Too COVIDY Outside – Sweatshirt JH030 funny sweater jumper self isolation lockdown.” Etsy. URL: https://www.etsy.com/listing/940346973/its-too-covidy-outside-sweatshirt-jh030.

Trevett, Claire. “PM’s US trip: Jacinda Ardern’s plane breaks down in Washington, third Covid case among entourage.” New Zealand Herald. 30 May 2022. URL: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pms-us-trip-jacinda-arderns-plane-breaks-down-in-washington-third-covid-case-among-entourage/M5RGMZFFCGKPIBNXXH7LOOW6IM/.

Categories
Pandemic Pandemic Art

Body mullet

This term refers to a person video conferencing over Zoom who wears business attire on top and casual attire on the bottom which cannot be seen. This trend seems to have started during the pandemic when most office workers were working remotely. It’s sheer laziness to wear a jacket and tie for a Zoom business meeting and tracksuit bottoms below the waist which are not visible to the camera.

An article entitled “Lexicon for a Pandemic” published on July 20, 2020 describes a body mullet as “what most people wear on Zoom calls: a nice top and, below the waist, underwear or less” (Martel).

The Urban Dictionary defines “body mullet” as “Business on top, party on the bottom. When working from home from waist up you appear professional but from the waist down you are wearing, pajama bottoms, shorts, underwear, nothing, etc” (Bolow399).

Check out this funny “Body Mullet” music video by Mike Begra.

Social Media Trends as of June 3, 2022

Facebook #bodymullet: people are posting about this
Instagram #bodymullet: 49 posts
TikTok #bodymullet: 3,899 views

Google Trends: “Body mullet” peaked during the week of July 26, 2020. At this time many office workers were working remotely.

body mullet search term

Sources:

Begra, Mike. “Body Mullet.” YouTube. May 21, 2020. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1C3PqbdMY4.

Bolow399. “Body mullet.” Urban Dictionary. June 15, 2021. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Body%20Mullet.

Martel, Jay. “Lexicon For a Pandemic.” The New Yorker. July 20, 2020. URL: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/07/20/lexicon-for-a-pandem.

Martel, Jay. “Lexicon For a Pandemic.” Twitter (The New Yorker). July 16, 2020. URL: https://twitter.com/newyorker/status/1283960319270944773?lang=en.

Categories
Pandemic

Covid-15

Covid-15 refers to the amount of weight gained during lockdown and quarantine when physical activity was at its lowest and the temptation to visit the fridge was always there. The ’15’ is measured pounds.

The earliest reference I could find for Covid-15 were two entries in the Urban Dictionary for March and June 2020:

Definition #1: “The 15 lbs of weight gain caused by nervously binge eating your COVID-19 food stockpile.

-Oh man, I shouldn’t have eaten the Costco box of ramen, I’m one step closer to hitting my COVID-15″ (one of many).

Definition #2: “Much like the Freshman 15 when a student starts college he gains 15 pounds, the Covid 15 is when people start to gain weight due to inactivity during the Coronavirus pandemic.

–The gym has been closed for so long I think I gained the Covid 15” (newyy1).

To resist the urge to snack while remote working or binge watching Netflix, eat at normal meal times and in moderation. Have healthy snacks on hand like fruit and vegetables instead of chocolate and candy. Don’t over eat or under eat. An article published for The Elliot Hospital website has these tips for staying healthy when you’re home:

“Keeping a food journal is a great way to be aware of ‘mindless’ eating that comes with stress or boredom. Be sure to keep tempting foods out of the house, like chips or bite size chocolates (they add up!).

If you must grab an unhealthy snack, be sure to read the label for serving size and stick to one serving.

Get out of the kitchen! Go for a walk, pick up a book, or make a phone call to a friend to keep your mind off of food.”

Here is a video from News Channel 3-15 featuring helpful advice from Dr. Derek Alessi on how to reverse the weight gain accrued during lockdown. Even though the video is almost two years old, the tips are still relevant, particularly for remote workers!

Social Media Trends as of May 31, 2022

Facebook #covid15: people are posting about this
Instagram #covid15: 10,350 posts
TikTok #covid15: 4.4 million views
YouTube #covid15: less than 100 videos and channels

Google Trends: Covid 15 reached its peak in popularity during the week of March 22, 2020 when everyone was in lockdown.

covid 15 search term

Sources:

“Confronting the COVID-15: Tips for staying healthy while staying home.” The Elliot Hospital. URL: https://www.elliothospital.org/website/pr-Confronting-the-COVID-15-Tips-for-staying-healthy-while-staying-home.php#:~:text=Lack%20of%20routine%20and%20unlimited,%2Dcalled%20%E2%80%9CCOVID%2015.%E2%80%9D.

News Channel 3-12. “Reversing the COVID-15 weight gain with Dr Derek Alessi.” YouTube. Sep 2, 2020. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q4dL3mXjPM.

newyy1. “Covid-15.” Urban Dictionary. June 8, 2020. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=COVID-15.

One of Many. “Covid-15.” Urban Dictionary. March 13, 2020. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=COVID-15.

Winnie the Pooh weight gain meme. MamasGeeky.com. April 2020. URL: https://mamasgeeky.com/2020/04/quarantine-weight-gain-memes.html.

Categories
Pandemic

Zoomer(s)

Every generation has its nickname from Boomer to Zoomer, the latter is currently known as Gen Z, the cohort born between 1997 and 2012. During lockdown and quarantine, Gen Z attended virtual school and used Zoom to communicate with their teachers and classmates.

The Seattle Times published an article on February 26, 2021 that discusses certain words and phrases that have become part of the pandemic vocabulary including new words that uniquely describe the experience of living through the Covid era. The author acknowledges that some terms are a “couple of tongue-in-cheek additions that maybe aren’t used daily quite yet – but that certainly should be.”

Zoomer, n. | Definition: 1 Kids who’ve grown up in this age where every social interaction takes place over the video app Zoom. (See also “quaranteen”).  2 Historical/archaic: Adults from the baby boomer generation who think they’re cooler than they are. Example: “Sorry I’ve been MIA at work lately, I’ve got two Zoomers at home and they’re using up all the bandwidth on group Zoom calls with their friends.”

Seattle Times

This isn’t the earliest article where the word zoomer is discussed in a pandemic context. That credit goes to Megan Gerhardt, a Miami University professor who published an opinion piece for NBC News on June 7, 2020 entitled “Coronavirus and Zoom have marked a generation. Let’s call them Zoomers.” Gerhardt discusses how life changing events can influence the naming of generations and some have suggested labeling Gen Z “Coronas” or “Gen P” for Generation Pandemic.

Gerhardt makes the argument that generations should not be named for “tragic disasters” because that label “saddles them with that burden of negativity for life. We didn’t call those who grew up in the late 1920s and early 1930s the ‘Depression Generation,’ nor was Gen X the ‘AIDS Generation’ or Millennials the ‘9/11s’ – those were things they survived, but not how they were defined.” She proposes using a name that honors what a generation has lived through and which captures the positive aspects, as she says “the best name is the one that captures the resiliency this generation will need to bounce back from the impact of the pandemic: The Zoomers. It’s a nod to the former moniker of ‘Z,’ a play on the ‘Boomers’ and an acknowledgment of the dramatic shift to remote communication that will shape the interactions of this generation.”

I decided not to include social media trends for “zoomer” since it has been used as early as 2016 and won’t accurately reflect a pandemic context.

Courtesy of Tarikvision

Sources:

Gerhardt, Megan. “Coronavirus and Zoom have marked a generation. Let’s call them Zoomers.” NCB News. June 10, 2020. URL: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/coronavirus-zoom-have-marked-generation-let-s-call-them-zoomers-ncna1226241.

Seattle Times Staff. “From ‘anti-masker’ to ‘Zooming’: Words and phrases that have become part of our COVID-19 vocabulary.” The Seattle Times. February 26, 2021. URL: https://www.seattletimes.com/life/from-anti-masker-to-zooming-words-and-phrases-that-have-become-part-of-our-covid-19-vocabulary/.

Tarikvision. “3D Isometric Flat Vector Conceptual Illustration of Generation Z, Zoomers.” image. Adobe.com. File no: 415433300.

Categories
Pandemic Pandemic Art Vaccine

Vaxed and Waxed

Now I’m vaxxed and I’m waxed
And I’m looking for trouble
Got the Johnson Johnson but I made it a double
Got double meds ’cause my body resist

Country Grits and the Dicks

Vaxed and waxed found its way into the Covid lexicon in the spring of 2021. Escape.com defines it as “the process of getting the Covid vaccine then popping over to the beautician to rid oneself of the bikini line that’s accumulated after a year of hibernation on the couch” (Smiedt).

The phrase became so popular that on April 19, 2021 Mashable.com declared “The people have spoken: ‘Vaxed and waxed’ is the summer 2021 motto.” After more than a year of being cooped up indoors under lockdown and quarantine, whilst practicing social distancing, people are finally ready to go out and party now they’ve been vaccinated. The relief at finally being able to reconnect with friends and family and meeting new people has us “all but screaming ‘vaxed and waxed’ from the rooftops” (Gallucci).

“That’s right, people. It’s only April, but “vaxed and waxed” has already emerged as *the* saying of the summer. People are tweeting the phrase, sharing the news with group chats, and adding the disclaimer to their dating app bios to let everyone know that not only are they fully vaccinated and ready to have a “Shot Girl Summer,” but they’re also waxed and ready to return to the dating scene.”

Galluci, Nicole

For the ladies especially, no “Hot Vax Summer” would be complete without being “Vaxed and Waxed” but according to writer Sam Reed, this “doesn’t have to be literal – it’s an energy. A feeling. It’s the confidence that overcomes you as you’re leaving your Brazilian appointment and everything is, for lack of a better word, sensitive. It’s Hot Girl Summer but for a post-Covid world, where the stakes for a good time are higher than a Project Runway catwalk. It is new, it is fresh, is ready for whatever” (‘Vaxxed and Waxed’ Is the New Hot Girl Summer).

The phrase has found its way into merchandise and apparel. Etsy has a line of “vaxed and waxed” T-shirts, socks, caps and tumblers. The Staying Alive Brand sells a line of T-shirts on Amazon featuring this motif and the description reads “this Vaxed and Waxed apparel is the perfect design for anyone person ready to tell the world you’re vaccinated and ready for action.”

Etsy: Vaxxed and Waxed Unisex T-Shirt

Country rock band Country Grits and the Dicks released the song “Vaxed and Waxed” on July 16, 2021.

courtesy of Pixs:sell

Social Media Trends as of May 25, 2022

Facebook #vaxedandwaxed: 1,100 people are posting about this
Instagram #vaxedandwaxed: 3,156 posts
TikTok #vaxedandwaxed: 1.5 million views

Google Trends: “vaxed and waxed” first appeared in April 2021 just as the phrase started to become mainstream. It reached its peak during the week of May 16, 2021 when people were planning their summer vacations.

vaxed and waxed search term

Sources:

Country Grits and the Dicks. “Vaxed and Waxed.” YouTube. July 16, 2021. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8kRYCFKBro.

Country Grits and the Dicks. “Vaxed and Waxed” lyrics. Musixmatch. July 16, 2021. URL: https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Country-Grits-the-Dicks/Vaxxed-and-Waxed.

Galluci, Nicole. “The people have spoken: ‘Vaxed and waxed’ is the summer 2021 motto.” Mashable.com. April 19, 2021. URL: https://mashable.com/article/vaxed-waxed-hot-girl-summer-meme.

pixs:sell. “Vaxxed Waxed Ready to Party drink drunk drinking” image. Adobe.com. File no: 437297156.

Reed, Sam. “Vaxxed and Waxed” Is the New Hot Girl Summer.” InStyle.com. May 7, 2021. URL: https://www.instyle.com/beauty/vaxxed-and-waxed-hot-girl-summer.

Smiedt, David. “Vaxxed and waxed: 2021’s sexiest travel trend.” Escape.com. May 13, 2021. URL: https://www.escape.com.au/news/2021s-sexiest-travel-trend/news-story/ce8a486ce139942608526295d52ff5d5.

Categories
Pandemic Pandemic Art Pandemic Relationships

Hot Vax Summer

Get that shot, make it hot
Everybody get your card out
Take your mask off
Stick your tongue out
Get your taste back
Shake that ass
It’s a Hot Vax Summer

Wallet Jackson (2021)


It’s been almost a year since vaccinated Americans were ready to go outside once more and celebrate the summer after months of being cooped up indoors, under lockdown, quarantined and fear of catching Covid-19 – hence the phrase “Hot Vax Summer.”

The earliest reference to this phrase is an article published on March 25, 2021 for Scary Mommy: “Adults both partnered and single reported little desire to get it on, whether due to a lack of dating options in quarantine or increased stress thanks to trying to manage work, family, and everything else on top of, you know, worrying about you and your loved ones contracting a deadly virus – but it seems the tides, they are a-changin’, because “hot vax summer” is upon us” (Tschinkel). The article describes the challenges caused by lockdown and quarantine and how people can’t wait to “abandon Zoom and socially distanced meet-ups” so they can actually hang out with people in person and connect with them. Many people were stuck indoors, afraid to go out for fear of catching Covid-19 and some put their dating life on the back burner for over a year. With the freedom that vaccines brought, many felt it was time to go out and let their hair down to enjoy a hot vax summer.

An article published on May 29, 2021 for CNN said “This weekend kicks off ‘Hot Vax Summer,’ an unofficial term meaning that vaccinated Americans are ready to go wild and make up for lost time. We’re going on vacation again, drinking heavily (still), dressing up and eating out” (Valinsky). Dating, happy hour, wining and dining and music concerts were some of the activities people were looking forward to.

The phrase “Hot Vax Summer” is the name of a popular song released in 2021 featuring artists Wallet Jackson and Avocado Banks. They have a website of the same name here where you can download a free “Hot Vax Summer” wallpaper for your cellphone and buy a “Hot Vax Summer” T-shirt with some of the proceeds going to UNICEF to assist with procuring vaccines for countries that can’t afford them.

Social Media Trends as of May 24, 2022

Facebook #hotvaxsummer: 2,500 people are posting about this
Instagram #hotvaxsummer: 8,130 posts
TikTok #hotvaxsummer: 2.5 million views
YouTube #hotvaxsummer: less than 100 videos and channels

Google Trends: “hot vax summer” first appeared during the week of March 21, 2021 and reached its peak that summer before leveling off.

Hot Vax Summer search term

Sources:

Content Discontent. “Hot Vax Summer (official lyric video).” YouTube. April 23, 2021. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkbrHMPxKLY.”

HOT VAX SUMMER (feat. Wallet Jackson & Avocado Banks) Lyrics.” Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2022. URL: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/6015759/Wallet+Jackson/HOT+VAX+SUMMER+%28feat.+Wallet+Jackson+%26+Avocado+Banks%29.

Tschinkel, Arielle. “‘Hot Vax Summer’ Is Coming, Because We All Deserve Human Touch After 2020.” Scary Mommy. March 25, 2021. URL: https://www.scary
mommy.com/covid-vaccine-hot-vax-summer.

Valinksy, Jordan. “7 signs that summer is about to be lit.” CNN. May 29, 2021. URL: https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/29/business/summer-2021-back-to-normal/index.html.