The 'Quarantine 15' Joke is Lame

In the wake of COVID-19, most of us have adjusted to our New Normal. We're trying to "flatten the curve" by staying indoors and running errands when necessary. (And if you’re an essential worker, thank you.) Whether our Shelter-In-Place lifts in weeks or months, there’s no denying our daily routine is vastly different than, say, February.

We're multi-tasking more than ever: We’re now employees, teachers, chefs, the maintance crew, what have you. A lot more pressure is added to our already stressful lives, and some of us turn to humor to alleviate it. But there's one joke seemingly spreading like...wildfire: The Quarantine 15.

Chances are you've seen a meme or two about how we're all gaining weight, or tips on how to lose weight, during this time. (I'm not linking to the memes or stories about The Quarantine 15—I'm flattening that curve). However, people are dying at an alarming rate from COVID-19. Weight gain seems like the least of our worries.

Our day-to-day has changed. We're simply not as active as before self-quarantining. But to treat weight gain as the most horrible thing to come out of this is delusional.

A doctor in France reported that people with a high BMI (body mass index) are more susceptible to COVID-19 than others. But that's not true. In one case, a doctor resisted giving a patient COVID-19 treatment in fear of weight gain. It seems irresponsible for doctors to tamper with a patient's recovery over a chance of weight gain. For what it's worth, most people who have COVID-19 tend to lose weight as a side effect. Wouldn't weight gain be positive in that aspect?

As of April 18, more than 40,000 people have died from COVID-19. If weight gain is the worst thing to come out of this self-quarantine, then consider yourself lucky. And if you're still making Quarantine 15 jokes, then it's time for a new routine.