Visually Inspired by the song “A Tale of Two Cities” by Jermaine Cole, Temperature Please expresses the vulnerability behind the elderly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has taken many lives with the elderly being the most vulnerable due to physiological changes and the many potential, underlying health conditions that come with ageing. 

The man is shown holding a gun while holding his breath. The gun is juxtapositioned to resemble the infrared thermometers used to check temperatures at various shops and institutions throughout the pandemic. It symbolises protection against this disease but also highlights the vulnerability of the man. A gun is used to take one’s life in an instant, the same way the pandemic has claimed millions of lives in the short period of time. 

The elderly might also have isolation and mobility challenges. Because they’re isolated, they are unable to get much information about the Coronavirus and struggle to go to stores for food stock. The man is shown seated in a dark room to reinforce the “isolation” aspect of the pandemic with only a gun by his side for protection.

The man is shown holding his breath. The corona virus is said to be primarily a respiratory disease, causing acute lung injuries to most elderly victims. The phrase “hold your breath” also alludes to anxiety in the event of waiting for news or the outcome of something. Here, the man is both anxious about the state of the world and the controversy that surrounds this virus and fears that he might be next. In some way, the man has to “kill” the virus before it kills him.