Greta Thunberg’s weekly climate strike is the latest event to fall victim to the string of coronavirus-related cancellations. The activist remains resilient in the face of a crisis, though, urging her supporters to join her in a digital strike instead.

Writing on Twitter, the 17-year-old said: “We can’t solve a crisis without treating it as a crisis, and we must unite behind experts and science. This of course goes for all crises. Now the experts urge us to avoid big public gatherings for a better chance to #FlattenTheCurve and slow the spreading of the coronavirus.” Thunberg included a diagram which shows how countermeasures can limit the spread of the virus.

“I personally recommend that we do as the experts say,” Thunberg continued. “Especially in high-risk areas. We young people are the least affected by this virus but it’s essential that we act in solidarity with the most vulnerable, and that we act in the best interest of our common society. The climate and ecological crisis is the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced, but for now (of course depending on where you live) we’ll have to find new ways to create public awareness and advocate for change that don’t involve too big crowds.”

“Keep your numbers low but your spirits high, and let’s take one week at a time. You can join the #DigitalStrike for upcoming Fridays – post a photo of you striking with a sign and use the hashtag #ClimateStrikeOnline!” 

Thunberg’s campaign comes as the World Health Organisation declares the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, and multiple countries put lockdown measures in place. Just this morning (March 12), Donald Trump announced that he would be suspending all travel to the US from 26 European countries, not including the UK.

A number of major events have been cancelled due to the outbreak, including Coachella and SXSW, while venues including Berghain and Tokyo’s Studio Ghibli museum have temporarily shut their doors.

While it’s important to take precautions to limit the spread of the virus, it’s vital to remain calm. To help, we put together a guide on how to not freak out about coronavirus, which you can read here.