This is an opportunity to explore a current pandemic and its effects on you and your family personally, as
well as impacts on the hospital system. You should additionally explore the intervention that has been
recommended to “flatten the curve”: social distancing. What is it? Why would it reduce incidence? How will
it actually impact the prevalence rate (by how much over what amount of time)?
Sample format:
Introduction: What is your hypothesis? Social distancing will or will not (you choose) contribute to a
reduction in COVID-19 incidence rates. Explain why you chose this hypothesis. This is where you can talk
about what has happened personally. You talk about morbidity and mortality rates for your city and the
country. Who is at risk? Why? What are the behaviors that put certain people at risk?
Paragraph 1: Transition to the impacts of COVID-19 on the hospital system. What is different about this
disease? How is it transmitted? What are the complications? Why is mortality so high? What are the
treatment options?
Paragraph 2: Transition to the impact on hospitals. Why are hospitals overrun? What is the demand on
services? What exactly is lacking in terms of supplies?
Paragraph 3: Present social distancing as an intervention. What is it? Why would it reduce incidence?
Paragraphs 4-5: Look at studies where this intervention has been documented – has it been successful or
not? How will it actually impact the prevalence rate for COVID-19 (by how much over what amount of time)?
Please try to find publications on at least 4-5 studies that tested or reported findings on this intervention.
Conclusion: Restate your hypothesis and tell me if you found sufficient data that supports your claim. What
are your final thoughts on COVID-19? Have you been able to practice social distancing? Have you been
successful in teaching others about this intervention? Or, if you chose the alternative hypothesis, which
alternative intervention do you recommend (based on evidence in the literature) that would be effective at
reducing the spread of the virus? This intervention should be population-based.