The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has taken the entire world by storm, and its impact is now even being felt in Australia as well.
It’s taken some time to get there, but there have now been over 250 diagnoses of COVID-19 in Australia, and all of a sudden, the rate of infection is growing quite rapidly.
In fact, it’s so bad, that it’s resulting in many Aussies rethink how they go about their daily lives. First and foremost, they’re making sure they wash their hands as much as possible, and certainly any time they’re out of their house, or interact with anyone else — even immediate family.
But that’s not all.
The most common trend is actually to just stay home. it’s called being self-quarantined, and it’s a strategy shared by the sick — those that have tested positive for COVID-19 — as well as the healthy. The symptoms are so severe that healthy individuals are looking to do whatever it takes to prevent themselves from catching the virus, and that includes not leaving the house, so they’re not potentially exposed to it. Aside from buying food for them and their family, they’ve committed to staying home and avoiding unnecessary contact with any individuals.
It makes sense, but at the same time, individuals in self-quarantine are already getting a bit antsy. And it’s normal, as they’re losing social interaction, but also suffering from cabin fever, being cooped up inside their house. That’s why some traditional hobbies that were once seen as “old-school” are making a huge comeback.
First and foremost — let’s talk about the increase of board games. Everyone stuck at home is “bored,” and there’s no better way to tackle that issue than by playing board games. Monopoly, Chutes And Ladders, Clue, Trivial Pursuit and Guess Who? are all different popular choices people are utilizing.
Next is card games — with Uno, poker, blackjack, solitaire, rummy, war, spades and others growing in popularity. Card games have remained popular, especially when people are traveling, but now they’re being played at home as well, as well as Playtech casinos in Australia.
Listening to music and watching television have always been popular, but even moreso now. Streaming services are seeing activity going through the roof, as they’re getting signups at a record rate, as well as plenty of movies and hit TV series ordered, with families stuck inside.
Puzzles are big as well. This include actual jigsaw puzzles, as well as Sudoku and crossword puzzles, helping to improve vocabularies.
Expect these hobbies to continue to increase in Australia, until the coronavirus pandemic begins to die down.