COVID-19 Sparks Community Action

Scientists at Work
Student Worksheet
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INTRODUCTION
This activity explores concepts shown in the Scientists at Work video COVID-19 Sparks Community Action. The
video is about a group of students, scientists, and volunteers who came together to help their community during
the COVID-19 pandemic.

By watching the video and doing this activity, you’ll investigate the structure and spread of the virus that causes
COVID-19. You’ll also discover how this information can inform public health recommendations for diseases like
COVID-19. Finally, you’ll reflect on how collaboration and science can help society, including your own
community.

PROCEDURE
Answer the following questions based on the information provided and what you learned from the video. You
may want to use the video’s transcript as a reference.
1. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is made up of three main types of molecules. One of these molecules (not shown in
the video) is RNA, the virus’s genetic material.
a. List the two other types of molecules that make up the virus.
Made of proteins and lipids and when combined it is called an envelope.

b. Which part of the virus do soap and hand sanitizer disrupt?

That same envelope.

c. How does this disruption affect the virus’s ability to cause an infection and spread to other people?
They make the envelope fall apart which makes it no longer infectious or cause disease.

As shown in the video, SARS-CoV-2 replicates in the nose, throat, and lungs. The virus is carried out of the body
in liquid particles when a person breathes, talks, or coughs. These particles help the virus spread in multiple
ways, such as through:
● Droplets: SARS-CoV-2 may spread to people who breathe in droplets (relatively large liquid particles that
are about 5–10 µm) carrying viruses. Since droplets are relatively large and heavy, they quickly fall out of
the air and can carry viruses only over short distances (less than 6 feet). Due to their larger size, droplets
are effectively trapped by most masks.
● Aerosols: SARS-CoV-2 may spread to people who breathe in aerosols (smaller liquid particles that are
less than 5 µm) carrying viruses. Since aerosols are relatively small and light, they can carry viruses over
longer distances (more than 6 feet). Due to their smaller size, aerosols are not effectively trapped by
masks with looser weaves, including some cloth masks. Aerosols are more effectively trapped by masks
with tighter weaves, like the ones made in the video.

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 Scientists at Work
COVID-19 Sparks Community Action Student Worksheet
● Touching: SARS-CoV-2 may spread to people who get
liquid-particles carrying viruses on their hands (for example, by getting coughed on or by touching
contaminated surfaces) and then touching their mouth, eyes, or nose. This can transfer viruses from a
person’s hands into their body.
2. The video shows several methods used to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 among people, such as shutting
down labs and other nonessential facilities, cleaning hands regularly with soap or hand sanitizer, and
wearing masks. Fill in the table below to indicate whether each method would be effective or not effective
at keeping the virus from spreading via droplets, aerosols, and touching. Briefly describe your reasoning for
each choice.
Droplets Aerosols Touching
Shutting down
nonessential EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE
facilities
Cleaning
hands with
NON-EFFECTIVE NON- NON-EFFECTIVE
soap or hand
sanitizer
EFFECTIVE
Wearing a
mask with a
EFFECTIVE NON- NON-EFFECTIVE
loose weave
EFFECTIVE
Wearing a
mask with a
EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE NON-EFFECTIVE
tight weave

3. Some public health officials have suggested wearing masks with multiple layers or layering multiple masks
on top of each other. How might these practices help reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2?
This would reinforce the barrier from your mask to your face.

4. Another method to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 is social distancing, the practice of staying at least 6
feet away from other people in public places. Based on what you’ve learned about how the virus spreads,
why do you think social distancing was set specifically at 6 feet?
Social distancing to this degree is very effective because germs and contamination from people cannot
reach you from this far.

5. Public health officials have recommended using all the methods described above — for example, washing
hands/using hand sanitizer and wearing masks, and social distancing. Why might combine these methods,
rather than just picking one, better reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2?
You need to use all three methods because only doing one single method isn’t enough to keep you
completely safe and out of harm.

6. In the video, making and distributing hand sanitizer and masks required collaboration among many groups.
Describe three of the groups involved in this collaboration and their contributions to the project.
Volunteers and community members, high school students, people who drove around distributing things
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 Scientists at Work
COVID-19 Sparks Community Action Student Worksheet

to help.

7. As of April 2021, this collaborative project has distributed 45,000 masks and 6,400 gallons of hand sanitizer.
If the project hadn’t happened, how might that have impacted this community?
There probably would have been more cases of corona in their community. Their work helped their
community help the importance of wearing masks and cleaning your hands.

8. In one or two sentences, explain how the scientists in the video adapted to respond to a societal need.
They were conducting research in order to find change and disruption with COVID that brought social
needs.

9. Consider the needs of your community. Describe one way in which your community could be improved (in
terms of health, safety, etc.). How could your community’s members, including scientists, collaborate to
fulfill this need?
The transmissions rate is going down so they have been more lenient with people not wearing masks.
They need to put more social distancing rules back in place.

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