There are many heroes during these challenging times. I am not one of them. Most of us are simply being asked to stay home in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are looking for something to pass the time you might try some old-timey radio shows.

The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is serious and scary. I heard someone say, “We are living through a history book.” Decades from now people will read about COVID-19 much like we read today about the 1918 Pandemic (H1N1 virus), also known as the “Spanish Flu”.

I am no source of authority on COVID-19 or other pandemics. For all of the medical and safety facts I refer you to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) webpage on the subject.

What I can tell you about is one the ways I have tried to stay busy (distracted?) during the COVID-19 Quarantine: Listening to vintage old time radio shows on the Old Time Radio Streamer App.

From the app description:

OTR Streamer is an app dedicated to vintage Old Time Radio shows. We have over 18000+ shows for you to enjoy free of charge! We are constantly adding new shows for your enjoyment. The entire Golden Age of Radio right at your fingertips!

Some of the shows you can enjoy:

• Box 13

• Burns and Allen

• Dragnet

• Gunsmoke

• Hopalong Cassidy

• Jack Benny

• Sherlock Holmes

• The Lone Ranger

• This is your FBI ... and many more!

The interface isn’t very fancy or complicated, but I have found that it works just fine and is completely free. There is a premium version without ads, but the ads haven’t detracted from my experience at all. Here is what it looks like on an iPhone:

There are quite a few of these old time radio apps but this is the only one I have tried. There may be better apps out there but I have’t found a need to switch. One downside: I believe this particular app is only available for iPhone and iPad.

Though I haven’t reviewed them, you might check these similar apps for Android devices:

• Radio OTR - Old Time Radio Shows (free)

• Golden Age of Radio Lite (free)

• Old Time Radio Player ($0.99)

To listen for free on your computer browser you can also go to:

• Old Radio World

These all have pretty much the same shows, just organized a little differently.

These all have pretty much the same shows, just organized a little differently.

If you have binged out on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Youtube, and Disney+ (you might consider giving this a try. There are hundreds of hours of old-time radio entertainment for you to enjoy. It looks like we might be hunkered down for a while, so might need more entertainment options than you anticipate.

Finally, and this caveat goes for any blogging that I do about COVID-19: let’s make sure we support, remember, and honor the real heroes of these challenging time — doctors, nurses, grocery store staff, delivery people, pharmacists, health care workers of all sorts, nursing care facility employees, and anyone else on the front lines of fighting this pandemic. Most of us are simply being asked to stay home. I’ll do my part, but it hardly seems fair given what others are asked to do.