With the Coronavirus having raised alarm around the world, more and more governments are ordering a total lockdown in their countries in order to limit the chances spreading . However, a portion of people tend to defy government orders, thus endangering not only their own health but also that of others. Given the tragic death toll that is recorded daily in European countries at the epicenter of the Coronavirus pandemic, such as Italy and Spain, governments are looking for ways to convince all their citizens without exception to stay at home, in an effort to bring the situation under control without there being any violators of these measures. Among the European countries trying to convince their citizens to stay home is Poland, which seems to be tapping into a particularly tempting “weapon” for young people to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic – gaming. The Polish government has created a website called Grarantanna.pl, which includes various online activities, aiming to attract young people by preventing them from leaving the house. However, this is not just a hands-off approach like a typical site with random third-party links. The country’s Ministry of Digital Governance has launched efforts to create tournaments, servers and other interactive games so that young people adhere to quarantine orders imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic. One such activity that Poland is promoting is Minecraft. Poland is launching its own Minecraft server in a bid to attract gaming. The Minecraft server will also hold a competition to see who can create the best replicas of famous architecture. Each Minecraft player will be given a virtual plot of land and building materials. The competition kicks off on Sunday.
The campaign also has many other events planned. There will be webinars on game development, dozens of puzzles, quizzes with questions related to Polish history, and much more.
With schools in the country closed until March 25, the Polish government has made a significant effort to keep young people employed during the coronavirus pandemic. Finally, it is worth noting that according to the World Health Organization, 425 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Poland so far.
