Art: Wei Man Kow
While many of us feel crushed under the weight of stories about Covid-19, cartoonists have been addressing the coronavirus in their own way, mostly trying to be helpful.
Jason Li writes at Hyperallergic, “No corner of the globe experiences the epidemic in quite the same way. … Cartoonists and illustrators have taken to the public squares of social media to express statements of solidarity, share experiences (and grievances), and laugh a little. [We’ve] collected our favorite works from around the world — taking care to include as many perspectives and geographies as we could, while still centering those in China, who remain most impacted by the virus. …
“[One] viral illustration by momo shows that Wuhan, ground zero of the epidemic, carries the support of everyone else in China. Wuhan is represented by a caricature of its famous food, hot dry noodle, while those cheering them on are drawn as foods from other regions of China.
“On a gentler note, the 3×3 comic [by] Wang XX is a fantastic encapsulation of the tenderness and care that people in China are feeling for one another during this calamitous period. In it, a seal, octopus, walrus and mouse help each other don their face masks and then hug it out. …
“[Another] comic about the shortages in Hong Kong by Ah To shows a person keeping toilet paper them in their safe along with their gold bars and surgical masks. …
“Many in and outside of China criticize its authorities for handling the crisis poorly and for muffling early warnings from medical experts. [A] mini-comic by A ee mi in Taiwan weaves a fantastical yet blunt critique of China’s healthcare system. In it, a coronavirus carrier is sent home without proper treatment, spreading the virus to their friends and community.
“While many airlines have suspended flights to China, the authorities in Hong Kong, which shares both land and sea borders with Mainland China, have staunchly refused to close off its borders. This has left its citizens incredibly anxious and angry. [Toballkidrawing] aptly depicts how the issue is viewed in Hong Kong — that the government is handing out a free pass for the virus to move in. …
“One genre of responses that’s been common across the globe is illustrated health advice. Some are comedic, some pithy, but the most popular are detailed and instructional. The above example by Wei Man Kow in Singapore was an unexpected hit and was subsequently translated into seven different languages by various strangers on the internet. (The artist has also made the instructional available for free download, including coloring book versions in Chinese and English.) Meanwhile, veteran cartoonist Sonny Liew (also in Singapore) teamed up with local doctors to put out [a] calming, animal-themed strip combating paranoia and disinformation.
“The breadth of these illustrated responses mirrors the myriad lived realities of the coronavirus. While none will argue that the virus is not a global epidemic or phenomenon, few agree on how serious the problem is, and people around the world are experiencing and interpreting its impact in vastly different ways. ”
Check out all these comics and more at Hyperallergic, here. If you have seen other good cartoons on this topic, please link to them in comments.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
The one with the tiny toilet paper squares is so funny!!
I honestly didn’t know there was a run on toilet paper. Funny what can become valuable in certain circumstances.
PS. I just learned that a civic-minded Australian newspaper printed some blank pages with dotted lines to show where to cut for toilet paper! Funny. https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/05/world/coronavirus-australia-toilet-paper-scli-intl/index.html
Those cartoons represent quite a range, don’t they? I, too, liked the one with the tiny toilet paper squares. Funny, but what a time the world is having. Sigh.
My own perceptions of what is sensible for me to do are changing by the hour. W.H.O. says to keep a meter’s distance from other people. That would change a lot if I tried to do it.
Clif and I, dubbed elderly by the CDC, have begun social distancing. That is, staying the heck away from other people. We’re missing out on a lot, but we hope to at least postpone having the flu to give our hospital and medical staff a chance to recover from what might be an onslaught. Scary times. I hope those who have minimized this virus will begin to take it seriously.