Hey guys…the typical opening phrase you hear on Instagram stories, all the time. But over the last few weeks and days, the normally visually appealing posts have all been undermined by one topic: the coronavirus.
Influencers like Chiara Ferragni are raising awareness and to date, over 3.8 million euros for hospitals in Italy. The Italian influencer is moreover calling out big names like Kendall Jenner, who has been posting infographics comparing the coronavirus to just another flu, for spreading the wrong message about the disease.
RGNN.org 4.0 focuses on fashion and beauty, as we have said many times. But in a time of crisis, and with partnerships with over 400 universities worldwide, we feel it is necessary to take a stand.
The coronavirus is not just like the flu. It is not about the mortality rate. It is about the fact that if so many people get sick at the same time, the hospitals are saturated, and cannot give adequate care of all those who need it. The coronavirus is a respiratory disease, and if so many people are infected simultaneously, there are not enough beds, not enough artificial ventilators to go around.
Italy has learned the hard way. And personally, I am shocked at how irresponsable especially young people are still being in Madrid. Yesterday, people were still hanging out at the capital’s many terrazas, having a beer and a tapa. Today, the terrazas have been officially closed by the mayor. Shops like Zara and the entire Inditex slew of brands have officially closed their doors, too, in Madrid.
Yes, you might be feeling well, you might even have the coronavirus and never know because you are lucky to not show any symptoms. But please, think about those you are putting at risk, primarily the elderly, but also the young who have had respiratory problems in the past and are considered risk factors in these times. There is no vaccine for the coronavirus, and if people at risk are infected, chances are, they will die because their lungs and their immune system will not be able to defend themselves.
At RGNN, we have facilitated our staff to work remotely and we encourage our student journalists to limit their interactions with others all over the globe. Of course, we know that working remotely is a luxury. Transforming our HQ offices in Madrid into virtual headquarters is a step we as leaders must make for the benefit of public health. We aspire always to see the positive side: it is a time to develop digital collaboration systems, social media and more, a trend our society will be seeing increasingly in the months and years to come. The fashion and beauty industries themselves are sure to change post COVID-19, as numerous runway shows have been cancelled now, fashion designers are contemplating digital ways to showcase their collections and beauty conglomerates have moved interactions online for now as well.
In the meantime, if you want to connect and interact with us at RGNN, you are welcome to do so via email, phone, Skype, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp and more. As for the rest of your time indoors at home, we all know that there are plenty of Netflix series to watch, a myriad of YouTube videos to scroll through and even workout videos to complete in a tiny room if you need to.
We are not alarmist, we are realistic. Specifically, to our student journalists, many of you are important voices in your community, micro influencers or influencers, judging by your social media numbers. Please do not spread the wrong messages about the coronavirus. It is a time to stand in solidarity, support each other. In Spain, we are using the hashtag #yomequedoencasa (meaning #iamstayingathome), and we encourage you to do the same.
