What is the #CoronaVirusChallenge? Twitter users can't get enough of it

Ever since the global ramifications of the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19 became obvious, panic and anxiety have gripped people. The deadly infection has affected over 102,000 people and has claimed nearly 3,500 lives. While some people have taken to Twitter to express their concerns, some have used the micro-blogging platform to diffuse some of the fears through funny posts and memes.

Now, the Twitterati have once again found something new and humourous to take the fight to the fears spawned by the virus—#CoronaVirusChallenge. The hashtag which began trending on Friday deals with users sharing pictures of innovative and—obviously—funny ways of protecting themselves from the virus, and offering commentary on the scare.

Coinciding with the announcement of the first coronavirus case in South Africa, and the release of the footage of a US health official violating the very precautionary hygienic measure she was announcing on camera, Twitter witnessed an explosion of tweets from across the world using the hashtag.

Here are a few tweets that pushed the level of innovation and humour to the limits:

Make your own protective gear

With reports of shortages of masks and other protective gear across the world, some people have found creative ways of 'protecting' themselves. Can you blame them?

No touching

Strictly no touching is what experts are advising people to do in order to not contract the disease. Do not touch surfaces and do not touch people are right on top of the 'no touching' list. These individuals are not touching alright!

The cures

From bleach to bovine excreta, some of the most mind-boggling of cures have been suggested so far. These Twitter users have some cures of their own to share.

No need to crack your skull

While harmless, this new social media trend adds to the seasonal 'challenge' culture that took over the social media. Recently, the video-sharing platform, Tik Tok, was rife with videos of people taking the 'Salt Challenge', where people were seen chugging down salt.

Another challenge that grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons was the 'Skullbreaker' challenge. In this challenge, three people stand side by side. When the person in the middle jumps as high as they can, the other two kick the jumper's legs after which the jumper lands on the ground.