JayzTwoCents, a popular tech YouTuber, announced on Twitter yesterday that he has COVID-19.
In a follow-up tweet, he’s doing fine, his team’s safety is a priority, and he forgot how to operate a camera. We are one year into the coronavirus pandemic and he’s only now social distancing his studio?
Human Malware
That JayzTwoCents got “human malware” didn’t surprised me at all. If you’re not familiar with “human malware,” it was a term that Steve at Gamers Nexus came up with and still uses today. That was in response to YouTube demonetizing videos that mentioned “coronavirus” in the early days of the pandemic. When human malware was still a Chinese problem and not yet an American problem.
JayzTwoCents had a recent video that showed him sitting side-by-side to Nick at a table. Neither of them was wearing masks. Phil, in this Instagram picture, was on the opposite of the table and he wasn’t wearing a mask.
No social distancing to prevent exposure to each other. Keep in mind that JayzTwoCents had human malware when he recorded that video.
Ground Zero
That JayzTwoCents waited until he got infected to social distance his studio boggles the mind. His studio is in the Los Angeles area of Southern California. Southern California leads the state in the total number of new cases and new deaths. Not by a little, but a whole lot.
Only a moron wouldn’t take steps to protect himself and his employees from human malware. Oh, wait. We ARE talking about JayzTwoCents. Never mind.
From what I’ve seen from YouTubers in different genres, too many plays fast and loose with human malware. They wear a mask and social distance among strangers in public. But are less likely to wear a mask and social distance among coworkers, close friends, roommates, and family in private.
Unless it’s grandma. No one wants to kill grandma.
Leading By Example
Linus at Linus Tech Tips has been leading the way on social distancing for his employees. Whenever he is in front of the camera on a set, he’s not wearing a mask. When someone must help him in front of the camera on a set, they wear a mask. Everyone behind the cameras on set are wearing a mask. If Linus does have to mingle with his employees off the set, he’s wearing a mask and keeping his distance.
Social distancing for JayzTwoCents should have been a no brainer. With himself and two employees inside a large warehouse building, everyone should have their own corner of the building. Most of the time he is in front the camera, Phil behind the camera, and Nick doing whatever he does. When they’re all together in common areas, they should be wearing masks.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I wish JayzTwoCents the best of luck in getting better and learning how to operate a camera again. I hope his employees don’t get human malware as well.