My last blog entry was about the derogatory term “Maskhole.” Today’s post looks at the origins of the insult “Covidiot.” The Merriam Webster online dictionary didn’t have a definition for this term but there was an entry in the Urban Dictionary dated March 16, 2020 which was submitted by user ‘you’reanidiot’:
“Relating to the 2020 Covid-19 virus: 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.”
A few months after this entry appeared, an article entitled “What Does ‘Covidiot’ Mean, and Who Qualifies as One?” appeared on the Health.com website. Author Korin Miller writes: “A covidiot doesn’t take COVID-19 and the risks of the virus seriously, despite what government officials and the global health community say. At the same time, they may also engage in selfish behavior that doesn’t look out for the greater good when it comes to slowing down and stopping the spread of the coronavirus.“
The term has appeared in online news websites. In an article for News18.com, a woman was seen at a Kentucky gas station wearing a hole in her mask conveniently situated where her nose and mouth would be. When asked why, the woman replied that it helped her breath better. The article was aptly titled “This Covidiot Woman Has Cut a Hole in Her Mask to Help her Breathe.” Click on the TikTok video below to watch.
Social Media Trends as of May 10, 2022
Facebook #covidiot: 42,000 people are posting about this
Instagram #covidiot: 55,593 posts
TikTok #covidiot: 66,600,000 views
YouTube #covidiot: 795 videos and 441 channels
Google Trends: the popularity of the term “covidiot” reached its peak during the week of March 22, 2020 coinciding with the outbreak of the pandemic.
Sources
Miller, Korin. “What Does ‘Covidiot’ Mean, and Who Qualifies as One?” Health.com. July 15, 2020. URL: https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/what-does-covidiot-mean.
Samann, Joe. “Check this funny mask out.” TikTok. April 30, 2020. URL: https://www.tiktok.com/@joegotti96/video/6821575139763834118?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news18.com%2F&referer_video_id=6821575139763834118&refer=embed.
“This Covidiot Woman Has Cut a Hole in Her Mask to Help her Breathe.” News18.com. May 5, 2020. URL: https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/this-covidiot-woman-has-cut-a-hole-in-her-mask-to-help-her-breathe-2606931.html.
you’reanidiot. “Covidiot.” Urban Dictionary. March 16, 2020. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Covidiot.