Countries affected by the coronavirus are showing that community solidarity can go on, even during a pandemic.
In an endeavor to prevent the spread of the pandemic and potentially ease the burden on Italy’s strained hospital system, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte instituted a nationwide lockdown leaving only grocery stores, banks, and pharmacies open. As people hunker down, a new video shows that the country’s spirits are still strong.
In a video shared by Twitter user @valemercurii, the streets of Siena are filled with song as people sing from their balconies. “People of my hometown #Siena sing a popular song from their houses along an empty street to warm their hearts during the Italian #Covid_19 #lockdown,” the user writes.
The heartwarming-moment wasn’t the only one, either. Twitter user @MrRJHolland shared another video in this zone.
On Facebook, Meteo Campagnia, shared a video of a man playing a trumpet for his neighbors entertainment:
The weather site also shared a video of an impromptu concert in Salerno:
The music continued.
“Please #stayhome Protect you and help to protect others in your community! Soon we’ll be able to hug each other again!!” one cheery viral post was captioned.
“Italians… always making the best out of the worst! How can you not love them!” another read.
And you’re gonna hear these people sing “Roar” by Katy Perry.
Hours after Spain’s prime minister announced a two-week lockdown, people across Spain and Portugal also took to their balconies to express their solidarity — this time, by applauding healthcare workers hard at work helping patients with the coronavirus.
Across the countries, people posted videos of their neighbors cheering and clapping their hands under a dark sky.
As Twitter user Carlos Delclós explained, “In quarantined Spain, we’re trying to launch a collective applause every night for our public health workers, every night at 10 p.m. You are heroes. You are what solidarity looks like, and I hope that solidarity is what’s most contagious these days.”
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