While the coronavirus still poses some questions to scientists, one thing is clear—regularly washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent the contraction and spread of the virus. Adults throughout the world have already armed themselves with soap and hand sanitizer, picked out their favorite songs to sing for 20 seconds while scrubbing their hands, and, of course, immersed themselves in hand-washing memes. Yet convincing little kids to wash their hands may take a little bit of effort. While all parents teach their kids basic hygiene, children may not understand why it's even more important to stay clean during the coronavirus outbreak.
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Recently, one dad from Finland shared a simple science experiment that helped his daughter to learn why she must wash her hands
Luckily, there's a simple way to teach kids why soap is crucial in keeping the virus away from them and it involves just a little bit of science. Parents and teachers are remembering something they probably did at school: the water surface tension experiment. The experiment is done in a rather simple way: fill a bowl with water and then sprinkle pepper evenly on top of it. In a separate bowl, place some liquid soap, then place the tip of your finger in the bowl of soap. Once it's covered with it, stick your finger in the bowl with water and pepper. During the last step, you'll notice that the pepper flakes have moved to the sides of the bowl. That happens because soap breaks down the surface tension of water and that's why it is such a good cleaner.
Recently, a father named Ari Mäkiö from Finland posted a viral video with this experiment inspired by others using it to teach children about the importance of washing their hands during the coronavirus outbreak. In the video, you can see Ari performing the experiment alongside his daughter and as the pepper shoots away to the sides after his daughter puts her soap-covered finger in it, he tells her that "the virus ran away."
While the experiment doesn't demonstrate how soap breaks down the virus, it has become a good metaphor to help children understand how to protect themselves in a very easy way.
Watch the video below
In about 3 months since the first case of COVID-19 surfaced, the virus has taken over the world and become a pandemic. There's no vaccine available to prevent the virus from spreading yet; therefore, people are advised to follow guidelines to avoid being exposed to this virus. The virus spreads from person-to-person when an infected person coughs or sneezes and little droplets land in the mouths or noses of the surrounding people. It is advised to avoid close contact with one another, staying away at a distance of at least 6 feet.
Here are useful recommendations from the World Health Organization that will help you protect yourself from COVID-19
It is recommended to thoroughly wash your hands for at least 20 seconds using soap. You should do it after blowing your nose, sneezing, and coughing; before eating and preparing food, etc.
If soap isn't available, you can use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Do not touch your face with unwashed hands. Masks are only advised to wear if you're sick or when taking care of a sick person. Don't forget to disinfect surfaces that are touched frequently, such as doorknobs, keyboards, smartphones, tables, etc.
While the coronavirus may not be lethal to the younger population, we all are responsible for protecting the most vulnerable groups of society. Stay safe!
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