Last week, we saw R.E.M’s It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) re-enter the charts amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Now, frontman Michael Stipe has shared two videos outlining a few tips for getting through it all, together.
R.E.M’s Michael Stipe has shared a video with advice on how to survive The End of the World as We Know It.
Each video begins with Stipe giving us a little rendition of the hook from the 1987 anthem. Secondly, they each include a reiteration of responsible practices during the current crisis, such as hand hygiene and social distancing. Meanwhile, the longer video addresses more personal stories of Stipe’s friends dealing with the outbreak in Italy.
“Most important, number one: stay at home,” Stipe says, “Happy St. Patrick’s Day, we’ll celebrate in four months.” As for number two, “Wash your hands for 20 seconds every time you come into or out of your house.”
Referring to the amount of time you should take when washing your hands, Stipe decides to take a different angle. Common advice has been to sing Happy Birthday To You two times as you scrub up, to which Stipe says, “Don’t sing Happy Birthday twice, it’s too depressing. Find some other song.”
Thirdly, he says “act like you’re already sick” and to “stay six feet away from people at all times.”
Stipe also stresses the importance of locating reliable sources of information as his piece of advice. He even implies that he is untrustworthy, as a former pop star.
“Be careful where you get your information from. I’m a former pop star. Don’t trust social media. Go to the CDC website and trusted news sources.”
You can check out the shorter video below. Meanwhile, the long version is available for viewing on Stipe’s official website.
