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Stay Alert

Stay Alert

Part of a series on COVID-19 Pandemic. [View Related Entries]

Updated May 12, 2020 at 06:37AM EDT by Y F.

Added May 11, 2020 at 01:30PM EDT by Sophie.

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About

Stay Alert is a UK government revised slogan (previously Stay Home) released in May 2020 addressing an approach to the coronavirus pandemic as the UK enters its first phase of reopening. An image of the full slogan "Stay alert, Control the virus, Save lives" was leaked by the Telegraph and led to edits and criticism on Twitter.

Origin

On May 9th, 2020, The Telegraph published the article "Stay alert: Boris Johnson's new message to the nation" and stated that "The new slogan – “Stay alert, Control the virus, Save lives” – has been drawn up by Isaac Levido, the Australian strategist, and Ben Guerin, a 25-year-old New Zealander who advised the Conservatives on their social media strategy during last year’s election" (shown below).


STAY ALERT CONTROL THE VIRUS SAVE LIVES

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On May 9th, 2020, author J.K. Rowling took to Twitter[3] to criticize the slogan and tweeted, "Is Coronavirus sneaking around in a fake moustache and glasses? If we drop our guard, will it slip us a Micky Finn? What the hell is ‘stay alert’ supposed to mean?" (shown below, left). The tweet garnered over 28,100 likes and 4,400 retweets in two days. That same day, Twitter users began uploaded edits of the slogan image provided in the Telegraph article. Twitter user @WordsmithUK[4] post various examples captioned, "…and all before 9.43am on a Sunday morning. #StayAlert #CopywritersUnite #Headlines" (shown below, right). The tweet gained over 2,400 likes and 1,000 retweets in a day.


J.K. Rowling @jk_rowling Is Coronavirus sneaking around in a fake moustache and glasses? If we drop our guard, will it slip us a Micky Finn? What the hell is 'stay alert' supposed to mean? I STAY ALERT CONTROL THE VIRUS SAVE LIVES 5:12 PM - May 9, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone Becky Smith @WordsmithUK .and all before 9.43am on a Sunday morning. #StayAlert #CopywritersUnite #Headlines STAY BAFFLESTAY ALERT F--- YOU HOLD A CHICKEN IN THE AIR How? STICK A DECKCHAIR UP Excuse CATCH THE YOUR NOSE CONTRO YOUR CONC Huh? an't see it VIRUS BUY A JUMBO JET Confused Scared AND THEN BURY ALL YOUR SAVE THE BUNTI Maybe? F----- DIE CLOTHES DO AS YOU PLEASE MEANINGLESS SLO BE VAGUE DO DO DO THREE-WOI:OVER OUR PLATITUD WE'RE LETS ALL NOT FUSSED BACKS DO THE IF SOME OF YOU DIE SHIRK INVOKE HEROIS2ESPONSIBILITY CONGA 4:43 AM - May 10, 2020 · Twitter Web App I dunno

On May 10th, Boris Johnson[5] used the hashtag #stayarlert in a tweet regarding the slogan and the new approach (shown below). The tweet accumulated over 20,400 likes and 5,700 retweets in a day. Indy100[2] published an article on the Stay Alert memes.


Boris Johnson #StayAlert ( @BorisJohnson Everyone has a role to play in helping to control the virus by staying alert and following the rules. This is how we can continue to save lives as we start to recover from coronavirus. #StayAlert | HM Govemment NHS We can help control the virus if we all STAY ALERT A Stay at home as much as possible i Keep your distance if you go out A Work from home if you can & Limit contact with other people (2 metres apart where possible) Wash your hands regularly And if you or anyone in your household has symptoms, you all need to self-isolate. STAY ALERT CONTROL THE VIRUS SAVE LIVES 7:09 AM - May 10, 2020 - Twitter for iPhone

Various Examples


Sam Bright @Scram_Sam Not sure about this new government slogan tbh #StayAlert STAY ALERT SPOT A RONA RELEASE THE HOUNDS Ireland Simpsons Fans 7:28 AM - May 10, 2020 · Twitter Web App Joshua Lockdown @J_87d Stay Alert I WE HAVEN'T GOT 1A F------ CLUE WHAT WE'RE DOING SORRY ABOUT YOUR NAN 5:38 PM - May 9, 2020 · Twitter for Android Rachel Parris @rachelparris I don't know who did this but I want to thank them. #StayAlert OOH, CAREFUL MIND HOW YOU GO BE LUCKY 8:43 AM - May 10, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone Scarfolk Council @Scarfolk #StayAlert Very practical, life-saving advice from the government. scarfolk.blogspot.com I SNEAK UP SHOUT AT THE VIRUS THEN RUN 4:14 AM - May 10, 2020 - Twitter Web App Dylan Patel @dylan_patel Fixed it. This government is doing the bare minimum it can get away with so that at the inevitable public enquiry, they can shrug and say 'we did run a comms campaign, not our fault if nobody followed the advice'. #StayAlert BE VAGUE COVER OUR BACKS SHIRK RESPONSIBILITY 3:19 AM - May 10, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone Malcolm Tucker Esq @Tucker5law #StayAlert to what they really mean. IT'S SUNNY AND THE FURLOUGH SCHEME COSTS US AN ABSOLUTE FORTUNE SO F--- IT 5:51 AM · May 10, 2020 · Twitter Web App

Search Interest

External References

[1] Telegraph – Stay Alert Boris Johnsons New Message

[2] indy100 – Coronavirus UK Government Boris Johnson Stay Alert Slogan

[3] Twitter – jk_rowling

[4] Twitter – WordsmithUK

[5] Twitter – BorisJohnson

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hexcaster
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hexcaster

Something I have seen that I have realized a terrifying amount of people do not seem to understand is this lockdown is not to keep you from ever catching COVID-19 it's to keep you from catching it at the same time as every other person in your town and flooding medical facilities all at once.

It will never completely go away now it's out of it's bottle.
Just like Influenza this virus is just going to be just one more illness you can, and almost inevitably will catch at some point in your life and more likely then not will survive. Yet people hyperbolicly keep acting like it's the black plague, and any attempt to make them go back to work is tantamount to telling them to throw their lives away.
We all have to eventually go back to work, and the virus is still going to be out there when we do no matter how long we try to wait it out.

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