Healthy, wealthy and wise: What are the benefits and costs of social distancing?

In a recent journal article, Katz, Vaught, and Simmens (2019) defined social distancing as:  "the practice of restricting contact among persons to prevent the spread of infection."  

Check out the student guide you can download to use with this activity. 

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To find out more about social distancing, view the CBC video. What is it? Why is social distancing being recommended?

Now, read the Tampa Bay Times article on the do’s and don’ts of social distancing. While you read, record their suggestions. Then, conduct some online research to find more do's and don'ts.

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Then use the Consumer Reports article to find some suggestions about how to socialize at a distance during the coronavirus outbreak. What do you think?

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​What did you learn? During these troubling times, many events have been cancelled, and businesses temporarily closed or limited for service. What are the Costs and Benefits of the choices: To Distance or Not to Distance? ​

Evaluate the costs and benefits of social distancing. What are some of the future unintended consequences of spreading the virus to vulnerable people? What are some of the possible economic consequences of social distancing? How could some of these changes impact workers' incomes?

Spread the news, not the achoos! That is a potential slogan for a meme or other social media post. Create your own meme by using an online meme generator or download the free Chatterpix app (App Store) or (Google Play) to make a talking meme.

Florida Standards:
Financial Literacy-

• SS.912.FL.1.5 <economic conditions change worker’s income>
• SS.912.FL.2.1 <consumer decisions>
• SS.912.FL.2.7 <government providing information to consumers>

Economics-

• SS.912.E.1.2  <scarcity, choice, opportunity costs>
  • Recognize examples of scarcity and choice.
• SS.912.E.1.4 <quantity supplied, quantity demand, equilibrium price in the marketplace>
  • Recognize that goods are produced because people want or need them.
  • Describe how the interaction between supply and demand affects the price of a product. 
• SS.912.E.2.2 <public policy issue affecting student's community, incorporate defining a problem, analyze potential consequences, and consider the alternatives>
• SS.912.E.3.4 <economic impact, negative and positive externalities, international environment.>

Health-

• HE.912.C.2.4 Evaluate how public health policies and government regulations can influence health promotion and disease prevention.

Language Arts-

• LAFS.1112.RH.1.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
• LAFS.1112.SL.1.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.