Pfizer, the purveyor of medicines, has created a meme to help people during this pandemic. Called Covid Meme, the drawing on social media has taken the world by storm and is a cheeky take on pharmaceuticals and the politics surrounding those that regulate them.
If you’re unfamiliar, memes are “memes” are popular culture images or objects that spread virally across social media. They are often rebroadcast and commented on in humorous ways by online users who “meme” the original posting.
What Is Covid Meme?
The creation of Reddit user u/Truth_Terrorism, the Covid Meme was inspired by a combination of two trends. The first is the fact that people are seeking comfort from the stress of lockdown (which, for many, is their first experience of dealing with a global pandemic). The second is the fact that pharmaceutical companies are taking note of the stresses people are facing and are marketing drugs to deal with them (including the need for sleep and reduced anxiety and stress).
The meme features a character called “Covid”, a humorous exaggeration of the disease’s namesake and, as the name would suggest, an apt representation of the pandemic as a whole. He is shown in the foreground, with the world behind him, as if looking over his shoulder as he watches you scroll through your feed.
The figure’s expression is that of profound bemusement. While it is unlikely that you will encounter someone with Covid’s visage in real life, it is intended that the figure’s pose and general demeanor should remind you of someone you know or have known.
Why Is Covid Meme So Popular?
The Covid Meme has been widely shared and commented on across social media platforms due to its apt depiction of the pandemic and the stresses that it has placed on the world. It has also been an opportunity for people to “cleanse” their social media feeds of the horrifying images and videos related to Covid that have proliferated over the last six months.
Covid is often compared to other memes that have come before him, such as the Grumpy Cat or the Robot Unicorn Roars funny-face memes. Like them, he is frequently shown as a solitary figure, frowning and looking slightly bemused by the events that have befallen the world.
The fact that the figure is a cartoon and, thus, completely unrealistic may also play a role in the popularity of the image. After all, it’s always easier to laugh at a fictional character than it is to laugh at the misery that is sometimes caused by real-life events.
How Can I Use Covid Meme?
The Internet has made it possible to find all sorts of memes and funny sayings to fit any occasion. You can use the Covid Meme in a number of ways to fit the situation you’re in or the occasion you’re celebrating.
While the character certainly serves as an apt symbol for the pandemic, he is also, perhaps, the perfect gift for someone you love. Give them this drawing and they’ll be able to “meme” the joy of your relationship all through the stresses of lockdown.
Is It Just Me, Or Is The World Going Crazy?
Many people are finding solace in the memes and are using them to make light of the great tragedy that is the Covid pandemic. While we wait to see how this trend will evolve, it’s worth considering the great sorrow that many people are feeling as a result of the pandemic.
While we await the return of normality, it is important to remember that there are still many people who are suffering, whether directly or indirectly, from the pandemic. In the meantime, we hope that these memes help you to cope.