Covidiot was an informal term coined by netizens to shame people who did not take COVID-19 seriously in the initial stages of the global pandemic. As surprising as it may sound, the list of covidiots did not only comprise of unaware individuals but some influential world leaders as well. We saw heads of states being in complete denial of the concerns expressed by medical experts.
These included UK’s Boris Johnson and the president of USA, Donald Trump. Both had to experience the bitter taste of reality when they tested positive for COVID-19. While Boris has already recovered (after a scary battle with the disease), Trump’s diagnosis happened as recent as yesterday.
It was only after his recovery that Boris Johnson started advising everyone to take the virus seriously. By then, the number of cases in the UK had already peaked. But at least one must appreciate his honesty about underestimating the deadly virus.
On the other hand, Donald Trump (who tested positive along with his wife Melania Trump), still seems hell-bent on making everyone believe that COVID-19 is a Chinese conspiracy. According to the US president, it was man-made in a Chinese lab to be used against other countries. He seems to overlook a lot of facts and opt for political point-scoring in the ongoing presidential debates.
Speaking of presidential debates, Trump even mocked his rival candidate for wearing a mask unnecessarily. This should tell us how ‘serious’ he has been in raising awareness about the necessary precautions. Responsible leaders should always aim to minimize the risks and lead by example. While we wish him and his wife a speedy recovery, we also hope that this time in isolation will teach Trump some valuable life and leadership lessons.