While millions of Americans are stocking up on hand sanitizer and toilet paper amid the coronavirus outbreak, other crafty citizens are trying to capitalize on the crisis.
Creative vendors on Amazon and Etsy are producing their own coronavirus merchandise, poking fun at the epidemic by selling coffee mugs, tote bags, key chains and stress balls.
T-shirts referencing the outbreak are also popular in many online stores, with sellers showing off their wit by splashing slogans across the garments.
One shirt riffs on the advice of experts to avoid social gatherings by featuring the phrase: ‘Coronavirus Vegan: I Avoid Meet’.
‘This is a funny t-shirt to wear to have a little smile when things aren’t so bright out,’ seller IntelliDesigns claims on their Etsy page.
They further describe the shirt, which retails for $24.90, as ‘great for vegans, vegetarians and anti-social friends’.
Creative vendors on Amazon and Etsy are producing their own coronavirus merchandise, poking fun at the epidemic by selling t-shirts coffee mugs, tote bags, key chains and stress balls
Given the heightened anxieties of the general population, coronavirus themed stress balls are likely to be hot sellers
Proving that nothing is sacred when it comes to commercializing the coronavirus, holy cards are also being sold on Etsy
Topical accessory! A crocheted germ microbe for sale on Esty for $19 can be hooked on to the side of a handbag
A a canvas tote bag, retailing for $23.28, also makes for a topical accessory as it sums up the worldwide health crisis with a striking graphic image
That’ll keep the co-workers from stealing your coffee cup: This $12.99 mug is for sale on Etsy
Another slogan shirt features a can of Corona beer with a lime sticking out of its top, accompanied by the words: ‘I have coronavirus and lyme disease’.
Elsewhere, other t-shirts also for sale on Etsy appear humorously designed to stoke fears about the outbreak.
‘I ordered this t-shirt from China…’ one $22 shirt reads, referencing the fact the coronavirus originated in the Asian country.
‘Straight outta Wuhan’, another of the t-shirts state – playing on the NWA song ‘Straight Outta Compton’.
Other shirts, however, are designed to ease the anxieties of nervous citizens.
‘Calm Down and Wash Your Hands’ and ‘Keep Calm and Resist Coronavirus’ are two popular options on Etsy, retailing for $18 and $20 respectively.
Some shirts for sale on Etsy appear humorously designed to stoke fears about the outbreak
Straight outta Wuhan’, another of the t-shirts state – playing on the NWA song ‘Straight Outta Compton’. The garment retails on Etsy for $20.67 plus shipping
Some shirts are designed to ease the anxieties of citizens who have been left panic stricken by the spread of the virus
Meanwhile, a plethora of other items also appear designed to clam the nerves of residents.
A coronavirus stress ball, which looks like a germ microbe, is retailing on Etsy’s ToysDollCrochet store for $19.00.
Also on Etsy, one crafty vendor is selling instructions for a ‘Coronavirus Crochet Pattern’ for $3.99.
‘Crochet replicate of #Corona virus. This version is one of a kind and can’t be reproduce in laboratories or in nature, it is 100% safe and trusted,’ the humorous production description reads.
One witty vendor in Montreal is selling this shirt on Etsy for $21.84 plus shipping
Once stitched, the ball can also be attached to a key ring and added to a handbag or backpack – making it a topical accessory.
Elsewhere, a canvas tote bag, retailing for $23.28, also makes for a topical accessory as it sums up the worldwide health crisis with a striking graphic image.
The bag features an image of the globe with a bright red medical mask wrapped around it.
One crafty vendor is selling instructions for a ‘Coronavirus Crochet Pattern’ for $3.99
Given that many will stay indoors and self-quarantine in the wake of the outbreak, coronavirus themed books have also started popping up for sale on Amazon.
One self-published children’s book warns of the dangers of poor hygiene, and is bluntly titled: ‘You’re Going To Camp Coronavirus Because You Didn’t Wash Your Hands’.
Elsewhere, writer Bradley Hume has published ‘Keep Calm and Survive Coronavirus’, which is also selling on Amazon for $6.
‘Coronavirus is here, and it’s spreading fast. But you DON’T have to be a victim. In Bradley Hume’s candid and down to earth discussion of common-sense survival methods, you will find a method of planning that will serve you well should this new infection come to your town,’ the blurb reads.
Writer Bradley Hume has published ‘Keep Calm and Survive Coronavirus’, which is also selling on Amazon for $6.
Coronavirus themed coffee mugs are also selling fast, with office workers now finding a clever way to keep co-workers from stealing their crockery.
‘I survived coronavirus and all I got was this stupid mug,’ one $12.999 coffee cup reads.
And proving that nothing is sacred when it comes to commercializing the coronavirus, holy cards are also being sold on Etsy.
StJudeReligious store is selling a pack of 25 laminated cards for $12.99.
The product description reads: ‘Highest quality on Etsy, beautifully laminated to last a lifetime!’
As of lunch time Wednesday, 142 Americans have tested positive to the virus, with nine fatalities in Washington state related to the disease.
Health officials in Los Angeles County declared a health emergency on Wednesday after six new cases were confirmed, bringing the total in the city to seven.
As of lunch time Wednesday, 142 Americans have tested positive to the virus, with nine fatalities in Washington state related to the disease