When you’re 93 years old and self-isolating to avoid a global coronavirus pandemic, sometimes you just need a drink to take the edge off.
Olive Veronesi says she’s been drinking one beer a night during her quarantine, but the 93-year-old grandmother in Seminole, Pa., ran into a little crisis last week.
“I was on my last 12 cans,” she told CBS Pittsburgh. Veronesi added that she didn’t have the means to visit a store to buy more, so instead, she staged a silly photo with her relative.
“I need more beer!” she wrote on a dry-erase board, which she held up to the glass at her home last week. Her relative took a photo and shared it online, where it quickly spread across social media.
“I have a beer every night,” she said. “Sometimes to relax, you know? I think it’s nice — something to take the edge off.”
Veronesi was holding a can of Coors Light in the original photo, and Molson Coors eventually noticed on Sunday. The beer-making giant hailed Veronesi’s sign on social media and vowed to fill her order with 150 cans of Coors Light. For now.
“Olive asked, and beer is on the way!” the Coors Light Twitter account tweeted on Sunday.
Molson Coors was true to its word, and Veronesi received a new stockpile of beer at her door on Monday morning.
It was enough to inspire a second viral photo.
“Got more beer!” Veronesi wrote on her dry-erase board so she could recreate the original image.
“We came. We saw. We delivered to a friend in need,” Coors Light wrote in a tweet. “Cheers, Olive.”
“When we saw Olive’s message, we knew we had to jump at the chance to not only connect with someone who brought a smile to our faces during this pandemic but also gave us a special opportunity to say thanks for being a Coors Light fan,” a Molson Coors spokesperson told CBS News.
“Even in the pre-COVID era, we would’ve been thrilled to fulfill Olive’s request. But in this moment, during these unusual times, bringing a little bit of joy to someone’s day is the least we can do.”
Molson Coors says it’s happy to keep Veronesi and her family stocked up with beer for the foreseeable future.
“They have a standing offer for more Coors Light whenever they’re ready for a restock,” a company spokesperson said.
Veronesi says she’s glad she won’t have to give up one of the little pleasures she looks forward to while avoiding COVID-19.
“You know what, beer has vitamins in it, it’s good for you,” she said. “As long as you don’t overdo it.”
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Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
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