How can Covid-19 be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat?

Over the past month or so, we have been truly inspired by the coming together of people all over the world to fight this pandemic. Social media companies and health organisations have been teaming up to reach those people who are most in need. So what do you think? Is Covid-19 an opportunity or a threat?

Covid Tech is helping us all feel less isolated

In a previous blog post we highlighted the recent stats about global social media activity. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, it is hardly surprising that there have been huge increases in the numbers of people conversing with friends, and family members online. For us in particular, apps such as Skype, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Zoom have been lifelines. Without these apps we would have struggled to keep in touch with colleagues, family and friends.

Online and offline communities are bouncing back

Our community in particular has been extremely proactive in helping to combat feelings of isolation, as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions.

A local mental health charity, Oakleaf Enterprise, have been running bi-weekly pub quizzes. Not only have they been raising funds in order to support their own users, they have reached out to us in the business community to keep us buoyant in this testing time. We have really enjoyed participating in their quizzes, and it helps us to know that by donating funds to the charity, we are helping someone else who is in need.

Wash Your Lyrics App is a game changer

The Coronavirus pandemic has also generated wonderful and novel ways of using technology to inform and inspire people. William Gibson from Brackley in Northamptonshire, has created his own app entitled: Wash Your Lyrics to help fight the spread of the Coronavirus. His website hosts an amazing app which allows users to pair lyrics from a song of their choice, with the NHS handwashing posters. He also wanted to give people greater choice over the songs they sing whilst washing their hands. It has since been approved by the NHS, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock has praised it as a "great initiative".

Celebrities and influencers are helping us keep fit

Celebrities and influencers such as Adriene of yogawithadriene.com and Joe Wicks are helping us stay sane. Who’d have thought that doing yoga, or taking PE classes in your living room could be so much fun? We’ve been speaking to families and fellow networkers, and we are all saying the same thing. How cool is it that we can do this together via YouTube every day? Families in particular have told me that Joe Wickes’s PE classes are the highlight of their day. His classes are highly interactive and entertaining with daily spot-the-difference quizzes, and much more.

One family that we spoke to told us that Joe Wickes's classes: “help to provide a focus for the day during these uncertain times.”

Sport England is urging us Brits to #StayInWorkOut in an effort to get us to keep fit during the lock-down. That’s easier said than done, but with a multitude of workout options available, there really is something for everyone.

Words like “social distancing” and “caremongering” have become the new norm

New words such as “social distancing” and “caremongering” have become commonplace, as result of the Covid-19 outbreak. A new social media movement has started to spread loving kindness, and to share messages of positivity. It is known as caremongering.

Supporting our NHS

There has been widespread support for our National Health Service from the beginning of this pandemic. No one really knows how bad it is going to be, or even how long it will last. Our NHS staff have been without doubt, amazing. Everywhere we go on our daily exercise, we see the evidence of peoples’ appreciation: beautiful rainbow cut-outs in windows, large-scale ads and the weekly Clap For Our Carers. On Twitter last week there was a campaign entitled: YouClapForMeNow. This campaign highlighted the efforts of people from all over the world, who have moved here in order to work in our NHS. The campaign went viral!

Grazia magazine has also paid tribute to our NHS workers by featuring them on the front cover of their magazine. As a result, front-line workers are receiving attention and support in many different ways. It is truly inspiring to see individual doctors featured, and for them to have a chance to tell their stories.

Final thoughts

Technology is constantly evolving and it has been a pleasure to see the different ways it is being using to combat the Coronavirus. So what do you think? Covid-19: is it an opportunity or a threat? Join the conversation by sharing your comments in the section below.