

Buy a Social Distancing patch
Requirements for the Social Distancing merit badge:
- Do the following:
- Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter when practicing Social Distancing, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
- Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while Social Distancing, including irritability, lethargy, gaining weight, cabin fever
- Define the following Social Distancing terms:
- flatten the curve
- self-quarantine
- incubation
- R-naught
- binge-watching
- slow the spread
- do the five
- List and explain at least 5 different ways to estimate a 6-foot distance. For example, "6 feet equals 1 Ryan Reynolds".
- Rank the following 20 popular sports from Best to Worst for Social Distancing appropriateness: football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, tennis, golf, boxing, car racing, wrestling, volleyball, swimming, skiing, bowling, horse racing, martial arts, weight lifting, ultimate, bicycling, speed skating
- Do the following:
- Create a list of at least 5 common Social Distancing hashtags, for example #StayHome. Your list may not include #StayHome.
- Create a list of at least 5 new hashtags that you feel would help people understand, remember, or implement proper Social Distancing.
- Share your two lists with your counselor. Be prepared to explain your new hashtags to your counselor.
- Using Zoom or other remote conferencing software approved by your counselor, do the following:
- Install and configure the conferencing software on your computer or handheld electronic device.
- Help another person install and configure the conferencing software.
- Schedule and run a meeting that lasts at least 5 minutes and includes at least 5 people. The people must include yourself, your counselor, and at least one other adult.
- Demonstrate to your counselor your ability to socially distance yourself by doing at least 4 of the following Social Distancing activities:
- Wash your hands correctly
- Cough into your elbow
- Wave to another person
- Pass someone on a walking path
- Correctly put on and take off nitrile gloves
- Sew a face mask
- Order a take-out meal for your family using a phone or the internet. You or your parent may pay for the meal.
- Simulate Social Distancing by doing the following:
- Live in a simulated quarantine environment by not leaving your house or physically interacting with any other humans except your immediate family for 2 days. During this simulation, complete at least three of these tasks:
- Complete 1 jigsaw puzzle of at least 500 pieces
- Memorize lyrics to 3 songs
- Play 12 games of solitaire
- Play 10 games of Pandemic 2 or similar symptoms simulator.
- Watch 1 full season of any video series, totaling at least 6 hours and approved by your parent or guardian
- Read 1 book of at least 300 pages
- Watch at least 4 movies starring Tom Hanks
- Make a Bucket List of at least 12 things you want to do once your quarantine is over
- Document what you did and present your accomplishments to your counselor, patrol, or troop in a 2-minute presentation
- Live in a simulated quarantine environment by not leaving your house or physically interacting with any other humans except your immediate family for 2 days. During this simulation, complete at least three of these tasks:
- Find out about three career opportunities in the global health industry. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
Social Distancing Worksheet
(Please notice the publish date for this merit badge. It is not an actual merit badge, but you CAN purchase Social Distancing patches and give them to scouts.)
Social Distancing Resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Wikipedia
National Institutes of Health
World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Wikipedia
National Institutes of Health
World Health Organization
Comments:
Apr 01, 2020 - shaun barry
it was funny and interesting
Apr 01, 2020 - Carolynn PorrittThis is hilarious! Please leave it up for a while -- I intend to
give my scouts a patch and a post-quarentine pizza party if they
complete this "badge!"
Apr 01, 2020 - Ray DzekMy recommendation, in order to maintain the "unique" nature of
this "badge" would be to cease orders after a period of time. You
mention they will be available April 24, but do not give a cut off
date to order.
Apr 01, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Carolynn - That's a great idea, in the spirit of this
spoof.
@Ray - Another good idea. The plan is to offer it until national BSA allows in-person Scouting to resume. At that point, we will have "made it" in some general term. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 page still says end of March, so I hope that gets updated.
Apr 01, 2020 - Scout2020@Ray - Another good idea. The plan is to offer it until national BSA allows in-person Scouting to resume. At that point, we will have "made it" in some general term. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 page still says end of March, so I hope that gets updated.
I love This!
Please leave this up!
Apr 01, 2020 - Jeff CPlease leave this up!
This is great! I'm using it for my next Troop Meeting.
Apr 03, 2020 - Brian J ButlerWho says it isn't real?
Apr 04, 2020 - Brian MilneGreat ideas and very creative. New skills for a new environment. In regard to a cut off date, we shouldn't rush on this. Give scouts plenty of time to complete the requirements.
Apr 05, 2020 - Jane@Brian Milne - This is not a real merit badge. Look at the date (April 1st).
You can purchase the patches from Scouter Paul if you want them.
Apr 12, 2020 - Angel s.You can purchase the patches from Scouter Paul if you want them.
How fun and relevant! I do want to confirm there is no worksheet
- I don't want the Scouts clicking around for one.
Apr 12, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Angel - There is no worksheet and it is not a real merit badge.
But, I could make a worksheet if you want one. :-)
Apr 13, 2020 - VanessaA faux "Social Distancing Merit Badge" is a fun idea! A great activity that you could do with your scouts
that is especially relevant to the current times. But I've noticed some topics that need to be touched on
in order to do this badge justice. If you plan to do some of these activities for fun with your scouts I'd
recommend touching on the following:
*What is a virus, is it alive?
*How did the virus spread all over the world so fast?
*What could we, as a society/government, have done to slow the virus's spread?
Just a reminder that these kids are the future. The scout motto is "Be Prepared". We should aim to teach our kids to be prepared when a crisis strikes again.
Apr 13, 2020 - Gina*What is a virus, is it alive?
*How did the virus spread all over the world so fast?
*What could we, as a society/government, have done to slow the virus's spread?
Just a reminder that these kids are the future. The scout motto is "Be Prepared". We should aim to teach our kids to be prepared when a crisis strikes again.
This is great and a lot of good information!
I sent it to our scouts and at our last zoom meeting the scouts were talking about it. I have already purchased the patches and if you have a worksheet, I would definitely take it. I just forwarded this page to the scouts but a worksheet would work better.
Thanks!
Apr 13, 2020 - Scouter PaulI sent it to our scouts and at our last zoom meeting the scouts were talking about it. I have already purchased the patches and if you have a worksheet, I would definitely take it. I just forwarded this page to the scouts but a worksheet would work better.
Thanks!
OK, there's a worksheet now. But please don't ask for revisions -
it's just for fun!
Apr 13, 2020 - Daniel S GorskiMy scouts are having a blast with this!!! Thank you :-)
With roughly 70 in the troop I think I'll be ordering a few patches...lol
YiS,
Dan
Troop 500
Wake Forest, NC
Apr 13, 2020 - Doug HurleyWith roughly 70 in the troop I think I'll be ordering a few patches...lol
YiS,
Dan
Troop 500
Wake Forest, NC
Very creative. Thanks for posting. We went through some of these
"requirements" on Zoom tonight with our Troop and had a very
engaging meeting. Going to go through the rest next week!
Apr 28, 2020 - Jayne Phillips Great idea ! My son is practicing very well! An expert I would say as I am
a RN working in this crisis!
May 02, 2020 - LisaJust curious why watch movies with Tom Hanks?
May 02, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Lisa - He was about the first celebrity to contract covid-19.
May 10, 2020 - Kenneth E. George-Demonstrate how to use the door handle of a rest room.
-Show how to dispose of nitrile gloves properly
-Show how to disinfect nitrile gloves when they run out.
-Show how to disinfect 95 masks for safe re-use
-Explain for how long a valid Covid-19 test is meaningful
-write a two paragraph brief explanation on the difficulty of developing effective Covid 19 anti-bodies
- debate the conspiracy theory that world leaders launched Covid- 19 to reduce the number of "non contributors" and "undesireables" on planet Earth
-briefly describe the "Kawasaki Syndrome"
-visit a mortician or coroner and discover what plans are being considerable for disposal of a world-wide massive number of infected corpses.
May 11, 2020 - Oliver-Show how to dispose of nitrile gloves properly
-Show how to disinfect nitrile gloves when they run out.
-Show how to disinfect 95 masks for safe re-use
-Explain for how long a valid Covid-19 test is meaningful
-write a two paragraph brief explanation on the difficulty of developing effective Covid 19 anti-bodies
- debate the conspiracy theory that world leaders launched Covid- 19 to reduce the number of "non contributors" and "undesireables" on planet Earth
-briefly describe the "Kawasaki Syndrome"
-visit a mortician or coroner and discover what plans are being considerable for disposal of a world-wide massive number of infected corpses.
I am excited for this special Covid merit badge.
May 11, 2020 - Jane@Oliver - Please keep in mind that this is NOT a real merit badge. It is a spoof that Scouter Paul created for April 1st (April Fools Day). If you want the patch or sticker, you can order it from this site.
May 15, 2020 - Jody HultmanBoys Life on line magazine has examples of a few face
masks.
boyslife.org/hobbies- projects/projects/168194/neckerchief-face-mask/
May 27, 2020 - wayneboyslife.org/hobbies- projects/projects/168194/neckerchief-face-mask/
I was thinking there should be a requirement on hoarding, but that would already be in the Apocalypse Preparedness
Merit Badge. Wondering if AP should be a prerequisite to SD or a stand alone merit badge.
Jun 10, 2020 - LWLiuMerit Badge. Wondering if AP should be a prerequisite to SD or a stand alone merit badge.
I was researching available MBs for our troop and I think we can
all say we're experiencing Pandemic Fatigue... but this Covid MB,
even though it's a spoof, really cheered me up! So I just ordered
patches for our entire troop and adult leadership because it's
good to find joy in things.
Aug 25, 2020 - Linda Matzcan the Boys attach to their sash?
Aug 25, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Linda - No, it is not a real merit badge and should not be sewn on their
sash.
Sep 17, 2020 - Megan SmithThis is fun. Are the patches still available for purchase?
Sep 17, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Meghan - yes, there's a Buy link near
the top of the page.

Contest - Ask a Question - Add Content





This site is not officially associated with the Boy Scouts of America
Find more Scouting Resources at www.BoyScoutTrail.com
Follow Me, Scouts
Recent Comments