Know the Covidiots: They’re everywhere!

Confused about who are the Covidiots and what the word means? Urban Dictionary is here to the rescue:

Covidiots are basically those who indulge in conspiracy theories that claim that the pandemic isn’t real, and refuse to practice social distancing or wear masks because they believe themselves to be invincible. On the other side of the Covidiot spectrum, we have seen the toilet roll hoarders, the sanitizer stockpilers, and the ones who stored so much stuff their home looked like a supermarket.

When thousands of Germans staged protests in Berlin against coronavirus restrictions in July, the SPD co-leader Saskia Esken made a tweet using the word ‘Covidiot’.

What followed were hundreds of complaints against the insult, and requests to take legal action. Thankfully, no investigation was launched as the Berlin attorney general’s office said that the word ‘Covidiot’ was an expression of opinion and was covered by the right to freedom of speech.

But ‘Covidiot’ only feels insulting if you identify yourself to be one. And being one is certainly not something to be proud of.

The worst part of the image below isn’t even the blatant denial of a virus that the WHO has confirmed to be real, it’s wearing a face mask that isn’t even covering the nose. Maybe the mask with “NO” on it is a sign that those who are against a lockdown should just shut up and stay home?

And you don’t have to look too far, we have enough ‘Covidiots’ in our very own country. When the Prime Minister announced the “Janta curfew” and asked people to remain inside their home and to thank the health workers but people went on their own drive. Hordes of people took to streets beating ‘thalis’ and chanting ‘go corona go’. We are not sure if there was a worse way to send the highly infectious virus away!

Things didn’t stop there, people thought, and still think, that wearing the mask was being imposed as law and just like any other law in the country they showed disregard for something so essential for their own safety.

But individual disobedience isn’t enough for the Covidiots, so they resort to crowded protests against a lockdown designed to curb a virus that spreads and thrives with human contact.

Well, Covidiots thinking this way better keep their bodies away from others.

It’s amazing what lies one can concoct with some fake blood. Or is it just a red sharpie?

The ultimate plot twist…

Some have unlocked the multi-functionality of masks… and we’re not sure we like the idea.

There have been many attempts to curb Covidiocy in these times but Covidiots have continued to thrive and grow, encouraged by misguided and ignorant officials, lack of proper awareness, or just sheer stupidity.

Back in April, a man in Malaysia took an innovative step in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus by dressing up as a ghost to prevent superstitious people from leaving their homes.

The man was so successful in spooking people to stay inside that the local police congratulated him rather than charging him for violating lockdown norms himself. Maybe it’s time this was implemented in India.

The police here have also pulled out an arsenal of creative ways to discourage citizens from stepping out for “non-essential” activities.

Lockdown violators were seen forced to do sit-ups and squats as punishment. This new tactic deterred quite a lot of people from going out in the early stages of lockdown.

When the world was struggling to contain the spread of the virus during the lockdown, some states reopened in the US, leaving no chance of containment. Well, I guess even administration can be a Covidiot.

Welp, what can you do when the government itself is filled with Covidiots?

This image perfectly shows the disaster waiting to happen when you reopen schools thinking you’ve contained the virus well enough. All the more when the cases are on the rise again.

Of course, people have been saying all along that reopening schools, malls and offices, before most of the population is vaccinated, was just asking for trouble. Guess what? They were and still are absolutely right.

The bottom line is – wear your mask, wash your hands, maintain social distancing, and most importantly, don’t be a Covidiot.