Spiking COVID-19 cases across the world have seen governments put in force social distancing sanctions to try and “flatten the curve” and support healthcare systems. As people are forced into their homes and conventional means of entertainment are taken out of the equation, heroes across the globe have come together to supply some content. Here's a selection of our favorites to remind you that sometimes people can be brilliant.

Italy has been one of the worst-hit regions in Europe, with certain areas such as Lombardy being particularly affected by the outbreak. On March 9, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered a national quarantine encouraging citizens to socially distance themselves to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the country. As the streets have emptied, early-evening balcony gatherings have emerged. Videos have shown groups of people coming together (in the figurative sense) to sing, play instruments, and even drop beats from the safety of their homes.

In Spain, the self-isolation improvisation continues, as a fitness instructor in Seville helped local residents keep healthy from their homes with a rooftop exercise class. In the video that’s exploded online, quarantined gym bunnies can be seen working up a sweat from their balconies, showing that a pandemic needn’t stop you from keeping fit.

Elsewhere in the world, as major sporting events are being canceled across the board, some are finding inventive ways to bring the pandemic’s hottest commodity into the beautiful game as part of the #StayAtHomeChallenge

For those in the hardest-hit aisles, it’s the thought that counts...

And it’s not just soccer people are finding novel solutions for.

Some people’s #StayAtHomeChallenge has nothing to do with sport at all

While this guy’s quarantine sesh is quite literally lit, for obvious reasons, we need to advise you not to try this at home.

As toilet roll panic buying continues to strip shelves across the globe, YouTube violinist Bonnie von Duyke paid homage in a moving tribute "Ode to RMS Toilet Paper", which shows a string duet performance in the most depleted aisle. During the moving performance, the two can be seen in life jackets (top marks for attention to detail) looking forlornly at the empty shelves.

The closure of the Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, in response to the outbreak meant a group of rockhoppers got to go on a field trip to the exhibits, and the ensuing videos that capture the penguins’ big day out serve as an important reminder that not everything is terrible.

In a charitable act of international collaboration, the world clubbed together to help a confused man who thought this was an acceptable amount of Vegemite to put on a piece of toast:

Vegemite, also known as Marmite, is a viscous spread of salty goodness, which is typically eaten on toast or sometimes used for a warm drink. While the exact ratios of Vegemite to warm butter are a subject of ongoing debate, the conventional composition is around 1:4 parts Vegemite to butter. In the case of Tom Hanks, however, it seems he opted for the “squeeze liberally everywhere forever” approach and we sincerely hope he drank a lot of water following his salt-laden snack.

Even his son, Colin, felt the need to interject:

U2 pop star Bono also decided to lend a hand as he penned a heartfelt ditty for the people of Italy. From his piano in Dublin, the singer lyrically depicts scenes in Ireland under the pandemic, “I walk through the streets of Dublin and no one was near. Yes, I don’t know you. No, I didn’t think I didn’t care. You live so very far away. Just across the square. You can’t touch, but you can sing across rooftops. Sing on the phone. Sing and promise me you won’t stop. Sing your love be known.”

Beautiful words and a wonderful sentiment, though it seems some still haven’t quite forgiven The Great Automatic iPhone Album Download of 2014.

In these dark times, seeing the ridiculous antics of others is a welcome tonic to the stresses and fears of life in a pandemic. So cheers to you, people of Earth, keep 'em coming.

 

I'm not sure who needs to hear this, but SARS-CoV-2 didn't come from a lab.