By Laura Peterjohn
MAIN PHOTO: An image that has been widely shared shows a pair of bears outside a house in Stockport, England. The owners of the house have been putting them out in different outfits, enacting different home-bound scenarios for the entertainment of their neighbors and gaining a following on social media. SOURCE: @Adam_Harrison13 Twitter
While people are being forced to make sure they keep their distance, communities are uniting behind a common cause: supporting each other in a time of need.
As health care workers place themselves on the front line of the pandemic, working long hours at great personal risk, communities have been getting creative in finding ways to show thanks while still following the strict social distancing guidelines in place.
In a gesture that started in Wuhan, China, the city where the disease was first reported, people began taking to their balconies at an agreed time each evening to cheer loudly in support of the workers on the front lines.
When the disease began migrating, so did the shows of support. Evolving into clapping, shouting, drumming, whistling and even blowing trumpets or South African vuvuzelas the cheer can be heard every night in nations on every continent.
In Italy, one of the nations hit hardest by the pandemic, communities have taken it to another level with residents playing music together and singing songs nightly. CNN reports that during the lockdown, radio stations have even gone so far as coordinating the songs they play, with the national anthem being played at the same time every night.
In the United States teddy bears have started popping up in windows all over the country reports the BBC. A scavenger hunt that is perfect for social distancing, the bears are encouraging children to go on socially-distanced walks outdoors while providing a safe activity for them during quarantine.
Also in the United States, Little Free Libraries that usually serve as places where you can take books that their owner wants to give away are becoming food pantries with the idea that those who are in need can take.
