Currently, the coronavirus has seemed to have taken over the world. Schools, businesses, and stores are closing, and citizens are encouraged to start committing social distancing. Although people are advised not to congregate in person, news and information are still spreading rapidly through news channels and social media. Social platforms such as Twitter provide access to important updates and distractions from the negative parts of the news for millennials stuck in self-quarantine at the moment. These “necessities” include memes, news, and other people to talk and relate to. Though the issues surrounding this seem to be that not all of the information is true, and there is so much going on that it is confusing to really understand what is happening. Even the news channels seem jumbled with information. This thread will break down big events that happen regarding the coronavirus and update constantly to provide the most up-to-date and factual information.

                                                                          Social Distancing

Cancel your party plans because the government has stated that people should not be in gatherings that have more than ten people. This means that big festivals like Coachella have been postponed. Other events that have been cancelled include the current NBA season, PGA Golf championship, Met Gala 2020, and Broadway musicals. All of these events have plans to return in the near future once the pandemic has calmed down. On the bright side, Memphis in May has released a statement confirming that they have no plans to cancel or postpone the event. Currently, the government and scientists are not sure how long this restriction will be up, but in the meantime people should avoid traveling in groups and going out in general unless absolutely necessary.

                                                                                      Racism

Racism and xenophobia have overtaken certain parts of the country after President Trump nicknamed Covid-19 as the “Chinese Virus.” This careless use of words has led to the attacking of various Asian citizens.  Congress Representative Judy Chu stated, “he is creating more xenophobia every single time he does that. And we can see the results in what’s happening to Asian Americans across the country.” People are refusing to order from companies with Asian staff members which has led to the downfall of the Asian stock market. The New York Times stated the Hong Kong stock market has gone down 3.6% and is continuing to fall. Members of the Asian community have become victims to racist remarks thrown their way. Although the virus started to take over in China first, it is not the fault of Asian citizens. The coronavirus is not an excuse to be racist towards the Asian community.

                                                                       Panic Buying

If you have gone shopping recently, you might have noticed that the shelves are practically empty. There is no toilet paper, meat shelves are bare, and Kroger has currently put a limit on how many loaves of bread shoppers can buy at a time. Panic buying may seem like one of the least of our concerns, but it creates dozens of new problems outside of the virus. The pandemic has people stocking up for their time in quarantine, but they are buying so much that it seems as if they’ll have enough tissue to get them and their family through a zombie apocalypse in the distant future. Since these people are quickly buying whatever their eyes land on, others do not have the chance to buy the supplies they need. Older people and those with disabilities, unfortunately, are unable to get to the store in time to get supplies and are left with barely any food at their homes during their time of need. Workers in stores are harrased on a daily basis as they try to complete their jobs and restock shelves, and there are videos floating around on the internet of people fighting all over the country over trivial things such as a pack of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Moral of the story: let’s not hog everything and only buy what you need.

                                                         Number of Cases and How to Stay Safe

Overall, there are currently 11,329 cases of covid-19 in the United States, but hundreds of people are recovering every day. In the state of Tennessee, there are currently 98 confirmed cases. Please take time out of your day to wash your hands. Limit your time spent outside. As stated earlier, this article will update constantly to provide the most up to date information. Other creditable websites to receive the best information are: CDC, WHO, CNN, and The New York Times.