12 Virus Movies to Watch While You're Stuck at Home

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Right now, there’s nothing else the world focuses more on the pandemic crisis. First discovered in Wuhan, China, the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been spreading across the globe since the end of 2019.

As of March 18, 2020, there have been over 202,284 identified cases and 8,012 deaths (according to the worldometers website).

These are troubling times, to say the least. Still, here are some of the things you can do to protect yourself.

How to reduce the risk of virus exposure?

- Regularly wash your hands with soap & water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Do NOT touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unclean hands. For example, after touching rails, stanchions, and door handles.
- Avoid areas with a high risk of exposure.
- While you’re in public, wear surgical masks.

What to do if you suspect you’ve contracted COVID-19?

If you’ve been to any of the affected countries, put yourself in self-isolation for 14-27 days (the incubation period) to make sure you’re not infected. However, if you develop any of the symptoms – fever, coughing, and shortness of breath – head to the hospital immediately.

Where can you find the latest updates on the situation?

- WHO (World Health Organization)
- Department of Disease Control

The current situation over the COVID-19 virus reminds us of scenes from all those pandemic movies, where the protagonist tries to survive the crisis of a terrifying pandemic. Many of such flicks have brought to life scenarios that hit close to home; you can’t help but be absorbed into every minute of it.

These days, it’s best to avoid public places and outdoor activities, so here’s our list of 12 virus movies to help you pass the time. Scroll down to find out which flicks are on our list!

(In the order of years first released.)

Outbreak (1995)

Outbreak opens with an incident in 1967 concerning the fictional ‘Motaba’ Virus in a small hamlet on the mountains of Zaire. To stop the disease from spreading, US army officers ordered the village bombed to the ground to contain the deadly virus.

Or so they thought.

27 years later, the Motaba Virus suddenly resurfaces when a white-headed capuchin monkey that was kept for research was smuggled to the US on a ship. Unbeknownst to the smugglers, the monkey carries a deadly disease with it to the new world.

Now, it’s up to Colonel Sam Daniels, his ex-wife Dr. Roberta "Robby" Keough, and their colleagues to stop this crisis. As they investigate the outbreak, however, the team discovers a dark secret that the army is trying to cover up.

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12 Monkey (1995)

The year is 2035, and humanity is wiped out almost completely by a pandemic. Cole, a convict and humanity’s last hope, volunteers to go back in time to collect vital information on the virus when it first comes into existence. He works with a psychiatrist, after convincing her that he’s not crazy, on a quest to solve the case of the 12 Monkeys – a mysterious organization believed to be responsible for spreading the virus.

The two work with an unstable mental patient and a world-renowned scientist to find out the truth before it’s too late. At the same time, Cole slowly realizes how grim and seemingly impossible his mission actually is.

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Resident Evil (2002)

The first installment of its franchise, Resident Evil begins when an experiment went wrong in a lab controlled by Umbrella Corporation.

The rogue bio-engineer enterprise has invented the T-Virus as a rejuvenating and anti-aging agent and a cure for nervous system diseases. The virus, capable of reanimating dead cells, was spread through air ducts, turning all employees into mindless zombies.

Alice and Rain are a part of the commando team assigned to investigate and stop T-Virus. Having been experimented on by Umbrella, Alice possesses superhuman combat abilities. As the virus continues to ravage the world’s population, Alice might be the only hope to end this catastrophe.

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28 Days Later (2002)

After infected chimpanzees were released from containment, they spread a new strain of virus to humans, turning them into bloodthirsty ferals. 28 days after the outbreak, Jim wakes up in an ICU and finds the city empty save for rabid zombies that attack him on sight.

He meets another survivor, Selena, who tells him that the country has collapsed due to the virus outbreak. Their group eventually meets Major Henry West, who invites them to his compound. They accept the offer, not knowing they’re walking into their worst nightmare.

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28 Weeks Later (2007)

Six months after the events of 28 Days Later, the United Kingdom has been effectively destroyed by the Rage Virus. A joint army led by the US declares victory over the virus and prepares to help the UK reclaim the land piece by piece.

However, tragedy struck after a survivor hid a terrible secret. Not realizing that the virus is not entirely gone, she brings with her a new wave of terror, and the city falls into chaos.

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I Am Legend (2007)

I Am Legend follows Dr. Robert Neville, the only man left alive in New York. Although a brilliant scientist in his own right, he wasn’t able to stop the spread of a deadly artificial virus that has wiped out humanity. It seems Neville could very well be the last human on earth.

That said, he’s far from being alone. The infected have mutated into vampiric creatures that lurk in the shadows. And they’re eager for the chance to attack a human. Although he knows chances are slim and he’s running out of time, Neville tries to find a cure for the virus using the immunity in his blood.

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Blindness (2008)

A strange disease causes widespread blindness among a city’s population. Instead of complete darkness, however, the infected’s sight is filled with white light.

Although there are only a few cases at first, the disease soon spreads through the city, gripping the population in its terrifying grasp. As more people are taken into quarantine, a woman with an immunity conceals the fact that she can see to accompany her now-blind husband into the quarantine ward.

The small, quaint town rapidly descends into a dog-eat-dog situation where everyone must fight for survival. At the same time, the government starts isolating the infected and putting them in cramped, inhumane concentration camps.

No one seems to have a clue what’s going on, whether or not there’s a cure, or what’s actually behind this sinister sickness.

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The Crazies (2010)

A small Midwestern town falls into chaos after its water source is contaminated with a virus that turns people into bloodthirsty murderers. With no way out, the rest of the town lives in constant fear that they’ll be torn apart by their neighbors.

To make matters worse, the government leaves everyone to fend for themselves. Instead of aiding their citizens, the Feds quarantine the town to contain the packs of mindless killers. It now falls to Sheriff David Dutton and his wife to lead a rescue team to help the uninfected to escape.

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Contagion (2011)

Contagion follows the circumstances around an outbreak of an airborne virus. Beth Emhoff has recently come from her Hong Kong business trip when she suddenly falls ill and dies from an unknown illness.

Bath’s husband, Mitch Emhoff, is utterly devastated by her death. After his visit to her, people around Mitch start having cough fits, seizures, and brain hemorrhages. The virus soon spreads to the rest of the world.

Eventually, it’s discovered that the virus spread through touch. The CDC must now form a team of medical researchers to crack the genetic code of this new ever-evolving virus.

At the same time, the government seems to be hiding the truth behind the cause of the outbreak, causing widespread fear and panic. The public’s reaction causes a rippling effect that goes even beyond the spread of the virus itself.

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World War Z (2013)

Based on Max Brooks’ best-selling novel, the action thriller is set in a world wracked by war with the undead infected. Gerry Lane, a UN officer, tries to escape New York with his family as the virus turns more and more citizens into rabid zombies.

However, in exchange for his family’s place on a secured U.S. Navy vessel, he is forced to return to the city and investigate the source of the virus. Lane leads a team into the affected areas, including in South Korea and Israel.

The team discovers a lab that might be able to produce the cure, but they might have to put their life on the line in order to test the vaccine.

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The Flu (2013)

An outbreak starts when a group of illegal immigrants is smuggled into South Korea in a cargo container, with one of them already infected with a deadly virus. The smugglers open the container to find almost all of their ‘passengers’ dead after only a few hours.

Soon after, the number of the infected soared. To put an end to the worsening situation, the government orders the shutdown of Bundang, a city barely 19 km away from Seoul.

Medic Kim In-hae and emergency response team member Ji-goo enter the city to obtain an antibody that could be made into the vaccine that’ll end this nightmare. At the same time, agents from international organizations try to meddle in fear of the virus spreading outside South Korea.

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Train to Busan (2016)

Train to Busan centers around an outbreak of a strange virus that turns the infected into zombies. Right before the outbreak starts, Seok-woo travels with his daughter, Su-an, at her request to see her mother in Busan. However, as the two board the train, a woman infected with the virus has stowed herself away on the train as well.

Things take a turn for the worse as the woman becomes a zombie and starts attacking other passengers. Seok-woo, while wanting to help only himself and his daughter, is forced to work with others to survive this ordeal.

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Pandemic (2020)

For those of you who prefer documentaries, Netflix has just released an amazing documentary series called Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak at the beginning of 2020.

In this series, you’ll learn how viruses can be transferred from animals to humans and cause deadly pandemics such as the Spanish flu (over 100 million deaths), bird flu, influenza, and Ebola virus disease.

The series features six chapters in total with 4-6 episodes per chapter. It explores the various aspects of diseases such as the origins, action plans, and preventative measures.

You’ll also get to see the behind-the-scenes work of medics and research teams that have never been revealed to the public. Perhaps by informing ourselves, we’ll have better insights into the current situations. Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak is available now via Netflix.

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