Don’t ‘get’ social distancing? This video uses ping pong balls, mousetraps to explain

The use of ping-pong balls and mouse traps is teaching millions of people how important social distancing is during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Ohio Department of Health shared a video earlier this week of ping-pong balls sitting on mouse traps to show how quickly coronavirus can spread when people don’t practice social distancing.

At least hundreds of mouse traps were set up nearly touching in the video with ping-pong balls sitting on top of each trap. When a single ball comes flying into the scene, it sends every trap into chaos.

Once the traps get moved apart and the ball comes through again, the traps are untouched.

“Stop the spread,” the video said. “Social distancing works. A little space makes us all safer, together.”

Ohio has nearly 5,900 confirmed coronavirus cases as of April 11, according to state data. The state has been praised by some for its proactive response to the coronavirus pandemic and for “squashing the curve” through social distancing.

Social distancing is the best way to help prevent and slow the spread of coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keeping a physical distance of at least 6 feet from other people and staying out of crowds and groups can help keep you and others safe during the coronavirus pandemic, the CDC said.

“COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet) for a prolonged period,” the CDC said. “Spread happens when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, and droplets from their mouth or nose are launched into the air and land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. The droplets can also be inhaled into the lungs. Recent studies indicate that people who are infected but do not have symptoms likely also play a role in the spread of COVID-19.”

There have been more than 500,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. as of April 10, according to data from Johns Hopkins University and Medicine. At least 18,777 people have died from COVID-19, according to the data.

All but eight states in the U.S. have put their residents under strict stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders to help slow the spread of the virus and encourage people to social distance, according to The New York Times.

President Donald Trump has extended coronavirus safety guidelines until April 30, according to McClatchy News. Those guidelines include encouraging all Americans to practice social distancing, McClatchy News reported.

“Every citizen is being called upon to make sacrifices,” Trump said.

This story was originally published April 11, 2020 at 10:09 AM with the headline "Don’t ‘get’ social distancing? This video uses ping pong balls, mousetraps to explain."