- Coronavirus has now resulted in more than 4,000 deaths and been reported in more than 118,000 people around the world as of Tuesday.
- As daily life is interrupted by the spread of COVID-19, teens have taken to TikTok to create coronavirus-related content.
- People are flooding TikTok with memes and dark humor, as well as the precautions they’re taking – whether they’re effective or not – to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
TikTok, like other social platforms, has been flooded with videos about COVID-19, the coronavirus disease, which has now resulted in more than 4,000 deaths and 118,000 cases in China and around the world.
With more than 1.5 billion downloads worldwide, TikTok has become an integral part of the social-sharing atmosphere where people turn for information and entertainment on a daily basis. Some have taken to TikTok to set the record straight on coronavirus. The World Health Organization, for example, recently created a TikTok account in order to share information about the outbreak amid the deluge of news and fear that have flooded the internet.
Still, the majority of coronavirus content on the platform is from teens sharing their own reactions and commentary on the outbreak. Users have created TikTok videos showing how life has changed on college campuses, cracking dark jokes about the disease, and poking fun at the precautions many are taking in the face of coronavirus.
Here are some of the best videos that have been made on TikTok in reaction to the coronavirus outbreak:
A creator made this video showing his outlandish response — which includes using grill tongs and heavy-duty rubber gloves — to receiving a letter in the mail from Japan, where nearly 500 people have tested positive for coronavirus.
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@nerfsnipr When you get mail from Japan but the Coronavirus is going on##corona ##coronavirus##japan ##mail##comedy ##fun##foryou ##followme ##whatthissays##lol ##fyp
Source: Al Jazeera
A Tesla owner made a video showing how he could use his Tesla Model X's "bioweapon defense mode" — designed to filter out air pollution and viruses — to protect himself from coronavirus. It's unclear how effective this would be, not to mention how few Tesla owners there are.
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@marketing_guy How to use your ##tesla for ##goodagainst the ##coronavirus! Beresponsible & think of others first! ##dog ##car##petlover ##teslamodelx##fy ##fyp ##electric
Some TikTok users have employed the similarity of the coronavirus name to that of the beer Corona for a laugh. This user created a scene featuring Corona beers that mimics hostage situations often seen in action movies.
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@oscarmansky CORONAVIRUS MUST BE STOPPED ##coronavirus##corona ##suspense ##drama ##foryou ##fyp##movie ##diyproject
Other videos drew on past memes and trends that have taken over TikTok, like those made in droves earlier this year in reaction to talks of World War III.
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@cadenxrodriguez We cant get a break? ##corona ##AsGoodAsTheOG##toonme ##fyp##foru ##foryou ##foryoupage ##isweartogodiwilllikethisvideo##dontletthisflop##like ##follow ##fy
Source: Insider
Many teens on TikTok poked fun at the overreactions and outlandish precautions some are taking in an effort to fight coronavirus.
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@mikemillermm See you in Italy ##quarantine ##covid19 ##coronavirus##fyp ##cv
A pair of teens acted out what summer could like with the threat of coronavirus still looming over many.
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@thezoefortuna Summer 2020 is gonna be LIT % vid with @paulbutcher ##Coronavirus##corona ##coronaviruschallenge##summer2020 ##coronatime ##itscoronatime
A unicycling TikTok user, known for performing wild stunts, took his act to the streets of Portland, Oregon, to show what steps he was taking to fight the outbreak.
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@theunipiper Deep Cleaning Day in Portland. ##fyp ##foryou ##oregoncheck##portlandcheck##xyzabc ##keepportlandweird##pdx ##l##funny ##coronavirus##covid19 ##quarantine
Other TikTok videos reflected the dark humor that many teens have come to adopt, especially in the face of catastrophe.
In the face of coronavirus, TikTok teens are seemingly unperturbed by the mayhem.
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@mavlarue we j chillin
College students in New York have had classes canceled, but that doesn't mean they're avoiding large group gatherings — especially with unseasonably warm weather in the city.
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@codycrying we rly said * ##PlayWithLife##makeuphacks##nyc ##college ##newyork ##coronavirus##coronatime
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@rileylynnm If this doesnt go viral something is wrong w TikTok ##fyp ##corona ##newyork ##darty
Many college students outside of New York have also had classes canceled, and some have been directed to take classes online. The situation made for a well-placed throwback to the jingle from an Education Connection commercial that aired in the early 2010s.
Colleges have also ended study abroad trips and ordered their students to return to the US. One creator used a popular TikTok sound to illustrate one of the awkward unintended consequences from a shortened study abroad experience.
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@natalie.sienna ##studyabroad##shecandoit ##normalpeople##AfterMyCoffee##UltraSmoothMoves##foryou ##foryoupage
The TikTok community of witches — aka WitchTok — have been encouraging each other to cast spells for healing and protection in the face of coronavirus.
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@missvulgar ##duet with @yoxsyd I'm goingto allow this candle to burn all the day down (it'll be moved frommy altar depending on where I go lol) ##witchtok
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@danette___ JarSpell ##castyourspell##witchtok ##coronavirus##normalpeople##PlayWithLife##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##foru ##babywitch ##jarspell ##spelljar ##protection
In Vietnam, a catchy song was created to share prevention measures. It didn't take long for the song to be used in a viral dance challenge on TikTok.
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@thekiffness Dont touch your face. Wash your hands. When you greet yourfriend, do the namaste ##coronavirus##coronaviruschallenge##tiktoksouthafrica
Source: ABC Australia
A creator from South Africa, David Scott, told Business Insider that TikTok asked him to make a video based on a song about coronavirus. Instead, Scott created his own song and dance, as seen in this video.
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@thekiffness Dont touch your face. Wash your hands. When you greet yourfriend, do the namaste ##coronavirus##coronaviruschallenge##tiktoksouthafrica