If you’re planning to pull pranks or practical jokes in honor of April Fools’ Day, now is the time to seriously reconsider. With the coronavirus pandemic still raging, a lot of people are not in the mood for some silly antics and stupid hoaxes. COVID-19 has already claimed over 40,000 lives around the world. Millions of people are in quarantine and the global economy is falling apart. If it’s not obvious yet, things are tough for most people at the moment, and the last thing they want is to fall for nasty April Fools’ Day tricks.
Though no one can’t officially cancel April Fools’ Day, several people have taken to social media to ask everyone to skip the annual custom, arguing that humanity as a whole has been through enough already.
Can we cancel #AprilFools in light of #COVID19 ? I think we’re all going through enough right now. pic.twitter.com/jOS3fxl7oR
— Aerzuki✨ (@Aerzuki) March 26, 2020
Anxiety, fear, and stress are also at an all-time high, and many people believe that pranks and fake news for an entire day will just make things worse.
Tomorrow is April 1st, a day usually reserved for pranks and jokes. Before engaging in the holiday, please consider the mental and emotional state of those around you. Make the day what you want but please have some empathy.
— Jonathan Barkan (@JonathanBarkan) March 31, 2020
Whatever you were considering for April Fools Day – forget it.
— John Lurie (@lurie_john) April 1, 2020
Also occurred to me this morning: next Wednesday is April 1. Can we all come to some sort of agreement now to cancel April Fools Day, please? Last thing we need is a bunch of bs stories first thing in the morning.
— Marcella Munro ?? (@marcellam) March 26, 2020
April fool's day is cancelled this year because no made up prank could match the unbelievable shit going on in the world right now
— ????? ? (@theonlydoyin) March 31, 2020
Among all kinds of gags that may come out on April Fools’ Day, people are mostly not ready for coronavirus-related jokes.
we should cancel April Fools this year because I don’t think I can handle tweets that say “Scientists Found Cure For Virus” and then I click on a link that sends me to a youtube video of Never Gonna Give You Up
— Sascha Viktor ?? (@confusedophan) March 27, 2020
tips for tomorrow:
• don’t say “so when they gonna say april fools” about the pandemic
• don’t fake having covid-19
• don’t fake a fucking pregnancy it’s not funny ever but especially not right now
• don’t pretend you’re in hospital for any reason
• JUST CANCEL APRIL FOOLS— ً (@_bexorcist) March 31, 2020
Petition to cancel April Fools. I do not want to hear people talking about how they have coronavirus when they don’t. I don’t want to see people have a breakdown over a small prank because they are already so pent up over the state of the world.
— n8 (@averagefuckb0y) March 31, 2020
In fact, some Twitter users boldly remind everyone that people spreading false information during this global health crisis can end up behind bars.
April 1st is fast approaching, & I plead that we cancel April Fools Day.
This is not the time to be playing jokes and spreading any form of false information.
So you morons planning to make COVID-19 jokes, there is a law against the spread of fake news, and WILL end up in jail!
— #StayAtHomeRevolutionary (@LwaziSomya) March 30, 2020
Instead of pranking others for no reason, some people are encouraging everyone to turn April 1st into a day of positivity.
I say we cancel April Fools Day, skip the lame jokes and pranks, and spend the day caring for one another. Call and check on a friend, send an encouraging text (NOT A GROUP TEXT), mow a neighbors lawn. Do something kind from at least six feet away. Who’s with me?
— Josh Reavis (@joshreavis) March 31, 2020
PSA: Tomorrow is April 1st and normally it is referred to as #AprilFoolsDay but this year April Fools Day is CANCELLED!
This year instead of playing pranks on people lets try to do something good for others.
Thank you for your time and attention pic.twitter.com/qDIEMQwgCa
— Geek Vibes Nation ? (@GeekVibesNation) March 31, 2020
While the movement to cancel April Fools’ Day has valid reasons to skip the occasion, there are a few who think that people can still observe the tradition without offending others. They also point out that light humor is actually what we need during this dark time.
Cancel April Fools Day? I think we could all use some HARMLESS humor in this time of despair. Of course, emphasis on HARMLESS. Dont fake illnesses, dont hurt feelings, etc. But we need some good laughs for once this year.
— Quenton Jones (@QueueTheVoice) April 1, 2020
Tf why are some people saying to cancel April Fools Day.
I get that things are a bit scary for many rn but I personally think a bit of jokes & laughter here and there can lighten the mood in dark times. pic.twitter.com/Y21K29cc4I
— ?Ｗａｆｆ|ＯＣ Ｍａｃｈｉｎｅ? (@WaffulSyrup) March 31, 2020
Why cancel April fools Day. I mean, it's great and @Pornhub always do some crazy stuff. For an example, horn hub. Come on we need some humour in these times.
— DoshiDerKantigeKugelschreiber (@DoshiXI) March 31, 2020