🦠 Coronavirus

The latest strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19 is commonly represented using the 🦠 Microbe emoji or more broadly with 😷 Face with Medical Mask. These emojis saw a considerable increase in use in 2020.

Vaccination

Emojis that can be used to represent obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination include:

• 💉 Syringe
• 🩹 Adhesive Bandage

Other vaccine-ajacent emoji options include:

• 🧑‍🔬 Scientist - Vaccine development
• 🧑‍⚕️ Health Worker- Vaccine deployment

Vaccination is commonly implied by use of the 💉 Syringe emoji, which no longer displays blood on Apple platforms (coming to iOS 14.5 in March or April 2021). Common words used on Twitter in conjuction with the syringe emoji are "vaccine", "COVID19", "Pfizer", "Moderna".

Hand Washing

Hand washing is commonly represented using 🧼 Soap or 🧴 Lotion Bottle in combination with hand-gesture emojis. The World Health Organization recommends soap or liquid soap instead of alcohol-based handrub, where possible.

🚩 Note: Given World Health Organization advice and the ambiguity of the contents of the 🧴 Lotion Bottle emoji, Emojipedia recommends using 🧼 Soap to indicate washing or cleanliness.

Suggested hand-washing sequences include many of the following emojis:

• 🧼 Soap
• 🖐️ Hand with Fingers Splayed
• 👏 Clapping Hands
• 🧴 Lotion Bottle
• 🤲 Palms Up Together
• 🚰 Potable Water
• 💦 Sweat Droplets
• 💧 Droplet

These emojis can be used in sequence to represent various types of hand washing:

• 🧼 Washing / cleanliness
• 🧼🖐 Hand washing
• 🧼👏 Hand washing (at small sizes, 👏 Clapping Hands resembles hand washing)
• 🧴🤲 If soap is unavailable; use alcohol-based handrub / sanitizer

Other sequences to represent washing hands:

• 🧼👐🚰
• 🧼👐💦

or

• 💧
  🧼
  🤲

Suggested Behaviors

In order to minimize the spread of disease, suggested behaviors include:

• 🚫🤦 Don't touch your face
• 🚫🤧🤲 Don't sneeze into hands
• ✅🤧💪 Do sneeze into your elbow
• 🧼🖐⏲  Wash your hands regularly
• 🚇😷🛒 Wearing a mask in public

🚩 Note: Consult local advise for specific rules, regulations and best practices as these vary by region.

Social Distancing

Keeping a physical distance from others can be represented by the use of the 🚫 Prohibited emoji in sequence with other emojis including:

• 🚫🫂 No hugs
• 🚫🤝 No handshakes
• 🚫🧑‍🤝‍🧑 No close contact
• 🚫🏟 No large gatherings

Keeping a safe distance between others in public can help prevent the spread of disease. Many countries recommend keeping a distance of two meters or six feet from others. This can be represented as:

• 🧍↔️🧍 Keep a reasonable distance from others
• 🧍▫️▫️🧍 Stand 2m (6ft) apart
• 📦🚪 Leave packages at door for no-contact delivery

🚩 Note: Consult local advise for specific rules, regulations and best practices as these vary by region.

Accessibility

Some people may have specific requirements or need to take additional care due to risk of coronavirus. These may be represented in a number of ways:

• 🛡 Shielding required
• ♿️ Accessibility requirements
• 🆘 Emergency help required

Warning System

Some countries use a form of warning system to represent various stages of recovery. This may take the form of a traffic-light system:

• 🚦 Vertical Traffic Light
• 🚥 Horizontal Traffic Light

Regions employing a traffic-light system to represent stages may use more than just three colors. Individual colors may represent many phases or stages of restriction:

• 🔴 Red
• 🟠 Orange
• 🟡 Yellow
• 🟢 Green
• 🔵 Blue
• 🟣 Purple

Another form of restriction in various countries are numbered stages or tiers, reflecting rates of infection or level of community limitations required.

• 5️⃣ Five
• 4️⃣ Four
• 3️⃣ Three
• 2️⃣ Two
• 1️⃣ One

🔬 Testing and tracing

Various approaches are used internationally to test the spread of COVID-19. These can be represented in ways such as:

• 🧫🧑‍🔬 – Testing in a lab
• 🧪🏡 – Testing at home
• 🔬🚘 – Drive-through testing
• 🌡🥵 – Temperature checks
• 🤔📝 – Contact tracing
• 📱👥 – Exposure notification
• 😷🏨 – Quarantine hotel

👋 Alternative Greetings

While digital greetings cannot spread disease the same way that physical greetings do, emojis for limited-contact greetings can encourage good public social practices.

• 👋 Waving Hand – Hello
• 🖖 Vulcan Salute – Live long and prosper
• ✌️ Victory Hand – Peace
• 🤟 Love-You Gesture – I love you in American Sign Language
• 🤘 Sign of the Horns – Rock on
• 💪 Flexed Biceps – Elbow-touch
• 🙏 Folded Hands – Namaste
• ✋💨🤚 – Air High Five

🧑‍⚕️ Medical Emojis

General medical, health and hygiene-related emojis include:

• 😷 Face with Medical Mask
• 🤧 Sneezing Face
• 🧑‍⚕️ Health Worker
• 🦠 Microbe
• 🏥 Hospital
• 🚑 Ambulance
• 💊 Pill
• 🩺 Stethoscope
• 🧴 Lotion Bottle
• 🧼 Soap
• 🧽 Sponge
• 💉 Syringe

▶️ YouTube

YouTube has custom emotes which were released in March 2020. These work in comments for livestreams and include:

• :chillwcat:
• :chillwdog:
• :dothefive:
• :elbowbump:
• :elbowcough:
• :goodvibes:
• :hydrate:
• :learning:
• :sanitizer:
• :shelterin:
• :socialdist:
• :stayhome:
• :takeout:
• :thanksdoc:
• :videocall:
• :virtualhug:
• :washhands:
• :yougotthis: