With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing it seems the U.S. is careening back to the rates of infections we saw in March. What really is worse is the federal government disregarded the use of masks until Mid-May.
Vietnam, on the other hand has had far fewer coronavirus cases as a result of many different public health efforts. One included have text communications sent to citizens to be informed on the latest COVID-19 news.
One song that strikes in particular is the a musical PSA to informing citizens to wash their hands and maintain social distancing. The song Ghen Cô Vy by NIOEH x KHẮC HƯNG x MIN x ERIK was created in collaboration with the National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health with an accompanying video and dance that gained significant traction on TikTok. As of now there have been over 3 million views on YouTube.
Possibly citizens in the United States could have adhered to masks and social distancing if American musicians could have contributed to creating songs about wearing and mask or social distancing. Maybe the bored in the house song should have been turned as doing your social duty in social distancing.
Other songs have taken hold in addressing the COVID pandemic whether washing hands or talking about the risks of going out.
UNICEF commissioned a song performed by Beninese singer Angelique Kodjo called “No Pata Pata” a reworking of the 1960’s song called “Pata Pata” by South African singer Miriam Makeba. Pata Pata which means “touch-touch” in the Xhosa language.
We did see that remix of the Cardi B video that took hold in March, but maybe we need something more punchworthy to get the message across.
What takes that helm in awareness of the severity of the virus and the need for social distancing is the song “Coronavirus” by Detroit Rapper Gmac Cash. Even the song “Corona Virus” by Dominican Dembow singer Yofrangel got the message of the moment across than any corporate piano-tinged commercial did.
The Typecaster 