LEGO bricks are being used to help explain COVID-19 variants

The National Public Radio group has shared an illustrated guide to help people understand COVID-19 variants, and it’s using LEGO bricks to do it.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic can be a difficult thing to understand, especially for younger readers. Thankfully, NPR is using LEGO to explain how the different variants of the virus work.

Meredith Miotke is the artist behind the illustrations, which can be found on NPR’s website. LEGO bricks are used to demonstrate the spikes on the virus that latch onto the body’s system and cause infection. In retrospect, LEGO pieces are a perfect example of this and good for younger children, with how securely they can attach.

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Michaeleen Doucleff, the writer of the source article, explains how the current variant of the virus differs from the original, using two stud bricks to show that it fits better with the rest of the body, making it easier to infect. On the flip side, the illustrations also show how antibodies were able to fight the original variant, with 1×1 tiles attaching over the stud and stopping any potential connection.

These diagrams make good use of LEGO bricks, despite the tough source subject, and will no doubt be useful to parents and teachers to explain the developing situation to children. Of course, it can be just as useful to anyone wanting to learn more, no matter the age. LEGO has already proven a useful tool in combatting the pandemic, with one builder making a device to deliver vaccinations more quickly.

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Featured Image: Meredith Miotke for NPR