Amid the current global pandemic, paying attention to health experts has arguably never been more important.
On the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, they state that people should "[wear] cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."
Well, after realizing her household was out of face masks, this woman found herself using a method that would out of this world:
After hearing the CDC’s recent advice on donning protective gear, North Carolinian citizen Kelly Hogan Painter found herself in a tricky situation. Forced to leave the house for an emergency shopping trip, but unable to source any of the official gear suggested by the government, she decided to do the next best thing.
Just as he did in 1995, Buzz Lightyear came to the rescue.
In a clip that has now been shared almost 3,000 times since it was first posted on April 5, a determined Painter can be seen speeding through the parking lot of her local supermarket, wearing a replica Buzz Lightyear helmet for protection.
As she explains in the video, Painter was forced to don the iconic headgear when her husband realized that "there were no masks in the house". Clearly, he wasn’t banking on the endless invention of the human spirit.
Explaining her unconventional approach to health and safety in an interview with Insider, Painter revealed that the helmet, which was picked up for around $25 at Walmart, has gone on about 15 errands, including trips to McDonald’s and the gas station.
Though she admits that her new look has raised some eyebrows, she is ultimately pleased that people seem to be seeing the funny side. As she explained:
"They might be laughing at me, or they might be laughing with me. I really don't care either way, as long as they're laughing.
"I hope my grandkids and great-grandkids can Google me one day and be able to say, 'Yeah, I guess she was cool.'"
It might be unusual, but lord knows we could do with something to smile about.