Heartwarming ways communities have connected in the face of Covid-19

The outbreak of Covid-19 has upended the lives of many people worldwide. But in the face of fear and chaos, it's heartening to see how people have united across the globe in displays of genuine kindness and community.

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1. #viralkindness
The Viral Kindness campaign which started in Cornwall, England has spread across the world connecting people to others in their neighbourhood who are sick, elderly or self-isolating in this time of need. Find a community group near you on their website.

2. Italian balcony choirs
If you haven’t seen videos of Italians singing and keeping their fierce, patriotic spirits alive despite being quarantined inside their apartments, you’re in for a treat.  

3. Boozy, botanical hand-san
Gin distilleries are deciding to use their ability to make potent formulations for good! Manly Spirits, Archie Rose and SevenZeroEight are among the Australian brands now making hand sanitiser adhering to the WHO's guidelines on the alcohol concentrations required for effectiveness. 

4. Drop-off donations
‘Donation fences’ have popped up across Germany for people to leave necessities without contact.

5. From fine dining to food banks

Gourmet chef José Andrés has converted some of his shuttered restaurants into community soup kitchens and has launched mobile food bank services to provide nourishment to those in need.

6. A new, virtual world opens
As a result of the outbreak of Covid-19, operas, musicians, top chefs, and famous galleries have flung open their digital doors so the wider public can access their content in their own homes, for free. Hopefully, this erasure of geographic and financial barriers heralds the beginning of greater accessibility to cultural institutions in the future, even after the storm passes.