The global coronavirus pandemic has undeniably presented us with unprecedented challenges, transforming our daily lives and interactions. While the gravity of the situation demands our utmost seriousness and adherence to public health guidelines, human ingenuity and a touch of humor have also emerged as powerful coping mechanisms. Amidst the necessity of maintaining physical distance, individuals worldwide have channeled their creativity into developing clever, sometimes quirky, but always effective social distancing devices.

We are all encouraged to embrace home quarantine to curb the spread of the virus. However, there are unavoidable instances where venturing out becomes essential – whether it’s for grocery shopping, picking up crucial supplies, or attending to urgent needs. In these moments, interaction with others is inevitable. Recognizing this reality, many have transformed the challenge of social distancing into an opportunity for innovative design, creating ‘out-of-this-world’ gadgets that help maintain a safe personal perimeter.

These DIY creations not only serve a practical purpose in virus prevention but also offer a lighthearted approach to a very serious issue, fostering a sense of community and shared experience. They represent a testament to our adaptability and collective spirit in navigating uncertain times. Below, we’ve gathered some of the most ingenious and amusing social distancing devices we’ve found online, complete with DIY instructions so you can build your own protective bubble.

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Innovative DIY Social Distancing Devices to Create Your Own Safe Space

Embracing the spirit of self-reliance and creative problem-solving, many have turned to do-it-yourself projects to enhance their personal safety measures. These DIY social distancing devices offer practical solutions, often at a low cost, allowing individuals to customize their protective gear while adding a unique touch to pandemic preparedness. Let’s delve into some of the most popular and effective designs.

1. The Practical DIY Car Shield: Ensuring Safe Rides

For those who need to share vehicle space, such as rideshare drivers or individuals transporting non-household members for essential errands, a DIY car shield offers an ingenious solution to maintain physical separation. This device creates a clear barrier between the driver and passenger, significantly reducing direct contact and potential airborne transmission of respiratory droplets. It’s a simple yet effective way to add an extra layer of safety during essential travel.

Uber Driver at Chinapic.twitter.com/0inJ1rnhrK

— Mohamed Hassan (@mo_aswany) February 27, 2020

Materials You’ll Need:

1/2 inch PVC pipes (flexible yet sturdy for framing)
PVC elbow joints (for corners and directional changes)
PVC T joints (for connecting pipes in a T-shape)
Durable plastic wrap or clear vinyl sheeting (for the barrier)
Strong sticky tape or zip ties (for securing the plastic)

Step-by-Step Guide:

Frame Measurement and Planning: Begin by carefully measuring the interior of your car, specifically focusing on the area between the driver’s seat and the front passenger seat, extending from the floor to the ceiling. Consider the dimensions needed to create a full, protective barrier without obstructing vision or essential controls. Cut your PVC pipes according to these measurements, ensuring you have pieces for the vertical supports, horizontal top and bottom bars, and any cross-bracing for stability.
Assembling the Basic Frame: Once your pipes are cut, start connecting them to form the basic rectangular or customized frame. Use the T joints to create the horizontal connections and the elbow joints for the corners. Aim for a frame that will snugly fit behind the driver’s seat and effectively partition the vehicle’s cabin. Ensure all connections are secure and the frame is stable.
Securing the Shield Material: With the PVC frame assembled, it’s time to create the transparent barrier. Carefully drape the plastic wrap or clear vinyl sheeting over the frame, ensuring it covers the entire area. Start from the top and work your way down, tightly securing the plastic to the PVC pipes using strong sticky tape or zip ties. Overlap edges where necessary to create a continuous, impenetrable shield.
Final Adjustments and Safety Check: Before hitting the road, thoroughly check your DIY car shield. Ensure it doesn’t obstruct your view of the road, mirrors, or access to essential controls like the gear shift or emergency brake. Make sure it’s firmly secured and won’t shift during motion.

Note: While installing, remember to consider the middle AC vent. If possible, design your shield to allow for airflow to the passenger side, ensuring comfort without compromising safety. Clear vinyl sheets are often preferred over plastic wrap for durability and better visibility.

2. The Playful PVC Body Doughnut: Your Portable Personal Space

Public health experts recommend maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet (approximately 2 meters) from others to minimize the risk of virus transmission. The “PVC Body Doughnut” is a creative and highly visible way to enforce this guideline wherever you go. Imagine creating a large, wearable “doughnut” around yourself, physically ensuring that others keep their distance. This device is not only practical but often brings a smile to people’s faces, reminding everyone to respect personal space in a lighthearted manner.

Materials You’ll Need:

10 pcs. 1/2 inch PVC pipe (for structural integrity)
16 T joints (for multi-directional connections)
16 45° joints (for creating octagonal shapes)
1-inch lashing straps or backpack straps (for wearing the device)

Step-by-Step Guide:

Pipe Preparation: Begin by cutting your PVC pipe into specific lengths. You will need 24 pieces that are 12 inches long and 16 pieces that are 5 inches long. Precision in cutting will ensure the overall symmetry and stability of your doughnut.
Assembling Small and Long Pieces: Connect the 5-inch pieces to the T joints to form 8 straight segments. Each segment should consist of a 5-inch pipe with a T joint at each end. These will form the “small pieces” of your inner octagon. Repeat this process for the 12-inch pieces, connecting them with T joints to form 8 longer segments, which will be your “long pieces” for the outer octagon.
Constructing the Octagons:
- Inner Octagon: Take the 8 “small pieces” (5-inch pipes with T joints). Use the 45° elbow joints to connect these pieces, forming an octagon. Ensure the middle T joints on each segment are facing outward. Connect all segments tightly to create a stable inner frame.
- Outer Octagon: Now, take the 8 “long pieces” (12-inch pipes with T joints). Form a larger octagon with these, using the remaining 45° elbow joints. This time, ensure the middle T joints on each segment are facing inward towards the center of the octagon.
Connecting the Octagons: Carefully align the inner octagon with the outer octagon. The goal is to create a gap between them that represents your desired social distance (e.g., 6 feet). Attach the remaining long pieces of PVC pipe to connect the outward-facing T joints of the inner octagon to the inward-facing T joints of the outer octagon. These connecting pieces will form the spokes of your doughnut, ensuring an equal and consistent distance between the inner and outer rings.
Adding the Wearable Straps: Finally, attach the lashing straps or sturdy backpack straps to the inner octagon. Screw or securely fasten the straps to opposite sides of the inner octagon frame. These straps will allow you to wear the device comfortably, much like a backpack, keeping the entire structure centered around your body. Adjust the strap length for a snug and balanced fit.

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3. The Inventive Hat Disc: A Head-Mounted Personal Bubble

Imagine a stylish, oversized hat that not only shields you from the sun but also actively ensures a safe distance from others. The Hat Disc is an ingenious wearable device that extends outward from your head, creating an immediate, visible boundary. While it might require a bit more crafting effort and materials, its effectiveness in preventing close encounters in crowded spaces is undeniable. It’s a statement piece that says, “Please, keep your distance!” in a polite yet firm manner.

Originally showcased on platforms like Instagram, these headwear creations often feature a wide, disc-like structure that makes it practically impossible for someone to get too close without making contact with the disc itself. This physical barrier serves as a constant, gentle reminder for everyone around to respect social distancing guidelines.

Materials You’ll Need:

A sturdy bike helmet or hard hat (as the base for attachment)
Plywood or dense cardboard (for the central disc/base)
3-6 ft. of wood strips, plastic rods, or sturdy metal wire (for extending arms)
Thin plastic sheet, clear vinyl, or lightweight fabric (to create the shield)

Step-by-Step Guide:

Creating the Helmet Base: Start by crafting a sturdy base from plywood or dense cardboard that can be securely attached to your chosen helmet. This base will serve as the central anchor point from which your disc will extend. Ensure it’s firmly affixed to the helmet, possibly using strong adhesive or small bolts, so it can withstand the weight of the extended structure.
Attaching the Extension Arms: Once the base is secure on the helmet, attach the wood strips, plastic rods, or metal wires to this base. These will act as the “arms” of your disc, extending outward in a radial pattern. Ensure they are evenly spaced and project far enough to create your desired safe perimeter (e.g., 3 feet or more in all directions). Secure them firmly to the base using screws, strong glue, or binding wire to prevent wobbling.
Constructing the Outer Shield: With the extension arms in place, it’s time to create the actual barrier. Attach the thin plastic sheet, clear vinyl, or lightweight fabric to the outer ends of these arms. This material will form the “disc” that physically keeps others at a distance. Ensure it is taut and provides a consistent boundary around your head. You can use tape, clips, or small fasteners to secure the material to the ends of the arms.

This creative headwear not only enforces social distancing but also serves as a visible communication tool, humorously reminding those around you to maintain a respectful space.

4. The Viral Giant Body Disc: A Wider World of Safety

Perhaps one of the most recognizable and widely shared social distancing innovations, the “Giant Body Disc” gained viral fame, even making it to news broadcasts. Dan Kuhnle of Rockford, Michigan, captivated audiences with his fun and effective method of keeping people apart. This wearable contraption provides an impressive 6-foot radius of personal space, making it an excellent option for navigating more crowded outdoor areas or open-plan stores. The beauty of this design lies in its simplicity and the use of readily available materials.

Materials You’ll Need:

Durable bungee rope or paracord (for the supporting harness)
Attachable tent poles (for the large circular frame)

Step-by-Step Guide:

Assembling the Circular Frame: Begin by connecting your attachable tent poles to form a large, robust circle. The number of poles you use will determine the circumference and thus the radius of your body disc. Aim for a circle that provides at least a 6-foot radius from your body, ensuring ample personal space. Ensure all pole connections are secure and the circle is stable.
Creating the Harness System: Once the large circle is formed, position yourself in the exact middle of it. Take your paracord or bungee rope and create a harness system. Attach the ropes to at least 6 different points around the tent pole circle. These attachment points should be strategically spaced to ensure balance – ideally, directly opposite each other. The ropes should then come together over your shoulders, forming a “backpack” style harness that allows you to carry the large disc comfortably around you. Adjust the length of the ropes so the disc hovers around your waist or hips, giving you freedom of movement while maintaining the protective perimeter.

Note: Just like Dan demonstrated in the video, the cords can be simply placed on top of your shoulders, creating a suspension system that allows the disc to move with you, ensuring your 6-foot bubble remains intact as you walk.

Watch this video from Team Coco and see Conan O’Brien’s funny social distancing device:

Essential Reminders for Pandemic Safety

While these creative DIY social distancing devices offer practical assistance, they are supplementary to, not replacements for, fundamental public health guidelines. Always prioritize staying home if you don’t absolutely need to go out. When venturing into public, consistent and vigilant practice of social distancing, combined with excellent personal hygiene, remains paramount. Wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, and avoid touching your face.

These innovative tools are a testament to human resilience and our ability to adapt with creativity and even humor in challenging times. Whether you opt for a practical car shield or a whimsical body doughnut, remember that every effort to maintain physical distance contributes to the collective well-being of our communities. Stay safe, stay creative, and protect yourself and others.

How do you observe social distancing every time you need to go out? Share your thoughts and your own inventive solutions in the section below.

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