Animated illustrations by cartoonist Toby Morris and microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles explaining the importance of social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak have gone viral after they were published by a website in New Zealand.
The playful GIFs include animated graphs that visualise the pressure on the healthcare system, alongside non-contact greetings that can reduce chances of catching or spreading Covid-19.
One animation (shown below) shows how the exponential spread of the virus can be slowed by simple measures such as working at home and not attending barbecues.
Simple actions such as working from home and avoiding social events can slow the virus
The playful images were created for a series of articles written by Wiles and illustrated by Morris for New Zealand website The Spinoff. In the articles, Wiles addresses the outbreak, New Zealand's reaction and how local communities must respond. She enlisted the help of Morris to ensure her advice was communicated in the most useful way.
Morris and Wiles hope their collaboration will help communicate the impact that social distancing can have on slowing the spread of the disease while offering clarity in a time of panic and confusion.
"I've always been a big believer in the power of using illustration and visual examples to explain complex ideas," Morris told Dezeen. "I know for me that's often how I like to process and understand things."
"I'm glad I've been able to use my skills to help transl...