By now, we’ve all seen the headlines, the tweets, and the memes. ALL the memes.
It's curious to wonder how we’d be handling COVID-19 on a global scale without the advent of social media. Sure, television sets would come in handy, so too would radios. I mean that’s how people stayed informed during world wars and catastrophic disasters throughout history, right?
Social Media’s Positive Impact During the Pandemic
But in this current landscape — smack dab in the middle of a global pandemic that affects us all — it's hard to deny the positive impact that social media has had in keeping us all looped in and connected in real time.Since the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus as a global health emergency in January 2020, people from around the world have shared their first-hand accounts. News outlets have reported up to the minute information around the clock. And accessible stories from foreign news outlets have given us all a holistic picture of the crisis, all in the palm of our hands. By March 12th, Hootsuite Insights reported 12 million Twitter mentions with the word “coronavirus” in the United States alone. That was also the day, Tom Hanks announced his and Rita Wilson’s diagnosis on his Instagram Page. That was the same day, the NBA’s suspended season was acknowledged on just about every platform.
And that was the day the severity of COVID-19 became much more clear.
COVID-19’s Continued Influence Online
But what isn't clear is how long this will last, and what the total impact will be. What we do know is that social distancing, non-essential travel, and maintaining great hygiene makes a huge difference. And staying up to date and informed with the latest news from the Government of Canada and the World Health Organization may be one of the best ways to influence your life and those around you in the most positive and productive ways as we head into another day.