We’re through the looking glass now, folks. After years of telling the world that gamers are violent hooligans who’d stab your nan in the face just for five more minutes on , the White House has now done an about turn and gamers and their crucial skills in these troubling times.

This unlikely development occurred during yesterday’s COVID-19 press briefing, held by President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and other US officials. It was during the briefing that White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx made a unusual segue regarding the gaming skills of millennials.

Reminding Americans that young people are just as capable of getting “very seriously ill” from the virus, Dr. Birx warned youngsters to remain cautious and continue to self-isolate. Not just because those with underlying conditions could be putting themselves in harms way regardless of age, but because younger people could also be spreading the virus to people who get really sick without even knowing.

“So again, I’m gonna call on that generation, that’s part of that group that brought us innovation, particularly throughout all of their ability to look around corners and skip through games,” Dr. Birx said, using a turn of phrase I have never before heard in all my life. Thankfully, she quickly elaborated – though it didn’t make things clearer.

“I always went level by level,” she continued. “I didn’t realize you could go from level three to level seven. That’s what they taught us, they look for things that we don’t see. We need them to be healthy.” Take a look at the briefing for yourself below.

This seems like a bit of a shift in policy for a President who spent a good chunk of last year blaming mass shootings on gamers and violent video games. To be perfectly honest, I’m a little surprised he didn’t ask Dr. Birx to try and pin the coronavirus outbreak on

If we can say anything came from the coronavirus, it’s that the government now officially recognises a gamer’s ability to… find warp zones? I guess? That’s a feature that hasn’t been all that prevalent in video games for years now, but whatever… Dr. Birx’s message is crucial, even it was delivered in (arguably) a slightly patronising fashion.

In all seriousness, it super important that we do our bit here. Regardless of your age, gender, or health, just stay the hell indoors until we’re on top of this thing. Go play some video games and show everyone how you can go from level three to level seven, yeah?