How’s everyone holding up? We’ve all done our best to adapt to the new normal – this bizarro universe in which jeans, restaurants and hands that don’t resemble the scaly talons of a prehistoric beast are all distant memories. But it’s worth remembering that nothing about this situation is normal. And just as we’re living during extraordinary times, we’ve also witnessed extraordinary people doing extraordinary things this week! So, as a small counterweight to all the doom and gloom, here’s our covid-19 positive news roundup to make you smile…
1. A 93-year-old woman's plea for more beer is emphatically answered
Sometimes when you’re locked indoors it’s nice to be able to crack open a cold one. Olive Veronesi, 93, of Seminole Pennsylvania evidently believes so, anyway. Last week a photo went viral of Olive holding a sign up to her window stating: ‘I NEED MORE BEER!!’ Spotting a PR opportunity, Coors Light promptly obliged, delivering 150 cans to her house. Dreams can come true, kids. We just have to stay hopeful.
2. Officials in Taiwan are proud in pink
Firstly: did you catch Thailand’s method of keeping newborn babies shielded from the virus? Look at them: JUST LOOK AT THEM.
And if Thailand’s tiny pink vader babies didn’t put enough of a smile on your face, in related covid-19 positive news, Taiwan’s male epidemic officials have started wearing pink face masks to press conferences. This isn’t just to take stylistic cues from the vader babies, but to reassure boys that there’s nothing ‘girly’ about the colour pink, and that colour shouldn’t be confined to any given gender. Chen Shih-Chung, head of the Epidemic Command Centre stated ‘It’s fine for a man to wear pink. Pink is for everyone!’
3. Lego lends a constructive hand
We’ve all stood on a Lego brick and wondered, for a brief moment, if the building block company is actually the source of all evil in the world. Well, it turns out the pandemic has outed them as the good guys, as they’ve started using their ample resources to build protective gear for healthcare workers. Incredibly, the Danish toy company is producing more than 13,000 visors a day for the nation’s frontline staff. To which the obvious question is: do they come in pink?
4. WWII Veteran saluted at a safe distance
Quarantine has been particularly tough on the elderly, who often can’t venture to the shops or go for some state-mandated exercise. But people aren’t just plying them with beer to get them through the pandemic. In Pearl River, NY, a fleet of vehicles paraded by Alan Cameron’s house to salute him on his 101st birthday. Police helped arrange the procession, as people held signs, applauded and waved at the WW2 veteran, who grinned and waved back from his doorstep. No, you’re crying.
Alan Cameron celebrated his 101st birthday in the age of social distancing. But the World War II veteran was not alone.https://t.co/j5RMFFm9J7
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) April 14, 2020
5. Bagpipes meet Bhangra
Where would we be without art? Since the start of the pandemic we’ve seen some beautiful, uplifting videos of musicians, actors and dancers collaborating in socially distanced displays of togetherness and creativity. But none have been quite as novel as Yukon neighbours Jordan Lincez and Gurdeep Pandher, who produced the most touching testament to Canadian multiculturalism we’ve ever seen.
Yes, those are bagpipes. Yes, that is bhangra dancing. We never even knew we needed it. That’s the latest covid-19 positive news for you!