Embracing Nature Amid Coronavirus! People In Iceland Urged To Hug Trees To Overcome Isolation
Iceland has reported 1727 cases of coronavirus and eight people have died. Those who have come into contact with the virus are quarantined. Schools have closed and gatherings of more than 20 people are banned.
Iceland is known to be one of the happiest countries in the world, but because of coronavirus preventive measures there is undeniably mental stress and a strange feeling of loneliness.
Icelandic Forest Service
Now the country's forestry service has come up with the novel idea to help people in isolation - hug trees, not people.
According to BBC, a senior ranger, Bergrun Arna Thorsteinsdottir, at the Hallormsstadur National Forest in East Iceland, told the RUV public broadcaster, "Why not come and enjoy the forest, where you can hug the trees and just get the energy from this area."
Icelandic Forest Service
The department posted the statement on its homepage with a collage of park rangers, friends, and family members all hugging a tree.
Meanwhile, the country¡¯s forestry service has issued warnings about tree hugging, saying that people should go deeper into the forest to find a tree that hasn¡¯t been hugged by anybody else.
Iceland has taken a less restrictive approach to curb the coronavirus. While those who have come into contact with the virus are quarantined, the country has not implemented a lockdown.
Icelandic Forest Service
Schools have closed and gatherings of more than 20 people are banned, but the country's forests are still open.
The country, which has a population of around 340,000, has reported 1,727 cases of coronavirus, and eight people have died.
Iceland has tested one tenth of its population for Covid-19, and its data has suggested that most people display mild symptoms of the virus, or none at all.
