Published 14:19 IST, December 22nd 2020
’Masked’ Baby Jesus wearing hazmat suit go on sale in Bolivia to spread COVID-19 awareness
Artisans in Bolivia created Baby Jesus donning face masks and PPE as they go on sale in the markets, creating awareness about health safety measures.
One of the hardest hit during the coronavirus first wave, Bolivia’s capital La Paz is now selling Christmas figurines donning hazmat suits and face masks representing the festivities in midst of the testing times of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city, where funeral homes were once overwhelmed with the influx of the dead and hearses of covid victims, is now embracing festivities, but with a COVID-19 twist.
Artisans in Bolivia created Baby Jesus donning face masks and PPE as they go on sale in the markets, creating awareness about health safety measures. “The makers say that the figurines are a way of warning the public not to let down their guard against the pandemic during the holiday season,” sources of AP explained.
In footage shared by The Associated Press, the vendors in the Latin American country were seen selling Baby Jesus and Mother Mary wearing face shields over the top of the face masks to encourage people to adhere to precautionary measures. The Bolivian capital, ravaged by the implications of the deadly virus spread, had adopted strict safety protocols for the public.
[Artist in Bolivia designing Christmas sculptures with face masks. Credit: AP]
Earlier, the hospitals in Bolivia’s major cities had run out of space as they were pushed to the brink of their maximum capacity and hundreds of bodies of the suspected victims of the coronavirus were disposed on streets, waiting for the mortuary service that had run out of staff. Despite the holiday season, the Latin American country has been selling toys and sculptures clad in protective wear and masks to warn the citizens of the pandemic crisis. Bolivina artists aim to remind people to exercise caution and adhering to the social distancing, hand hygiene, and mask protocol at all times to avoid escalating the deadly virus situation from the first wave.
Statues globally don masks
In a bid to encourage health safety as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries worldwide, statues and popular art pieces were seen donning protective masks as a reflection of the society’s “new normal”. Famous sculptures worldwide sported the face masks as a reminder to the public to remain safe, protected, and healthy while adhering to the social distancing norms.
Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was seen wearing a protective mask to send a message that precaution was essential to combat the spread of the disease. Further, the statue of Tony Bennett atop Nob Hill in California at the Fairmont Hotel was also seen wearing a mask to honour the medics and frontline workers in their battle against the pandemic. Another statue dedicated to martial arts icon and actor Bruce Lee could be seen wearing surgical gloves and a face mask, in the central park of Mostar, Bosnia.
[Credit: Twitter/@frankgunnphoto]
[Credit: Twitter/@PixiedustJtT]
[Credit: Twitter/@anitasilvey]
Updated 14:17 IST, December 22nd 2020