Striking PSA illustrates the importance of social distancing with mouse traps and ping-pong balls

A striking new PSA illustrates what can happen when people fail to socially distance amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic across the globe.

The video, shared April 9 by the Ohio Department of Public Health, shows hundreds of mouse traps set up in close proximity to each other, all with ping-pong balls on top.

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A single ping-pong ball is dropped on the traps, setting them all off in a quick chain reaction. The mouse traps are then shown at a farther distance apart, and the ping-pong ball fails to set any of them off.

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

Since being shared on the department’s Twitter account, the video has been retweeted more than 42,000 times. 

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Millions of people in states across the country have been urged to stay at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent new cases from crowding hospitals. 

Health officials say one of the best ways to prevent the spread of the virus is to wash your hands with soap and water and lather for 20 seconds before rinsing off. 

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