Coronavirus Pandemic Conversation Questions

Warm-up Question:
Have you or anyone you know had COVID-19?

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the coronavirus pandemic situation in your country now?
2. Have you been vaccinated? If not, do you plan on getting vaccinated?
3. Which countries have handled the pandemic well? Which countries have handled the pandemic less well? What mistakes did they make?
4. Countries like China and South Korea have had some success containing the virus with contact-tracing. Is this kind of tracking the best way to deal with the virus? Should we be worried when a government can track our movements through our phones?
5. How did you feel when COVID-19 first became a big issue? Did you think it was serious?
6. In many places around the world, governments told people to stay at home during the pandemic. How do you feel about your government telling you what to do? Does it make you feel less free?
7. Some places experienced panic-buying of essential items like food or toilet paper at the beginning of the pandemic. Did this happen near you? Did you rush to the store to buy supplies?
8. Are you scared that you might get the coronavirus? What are you doing to avoid catching COVID-19?

9. Wearing a mask can be uncomfortable. Why should we wear one?
10. What symptoms might a person with coronavirus have? Have you had any of those symptoms lately?
11. Has your country made any rules or laws related to the coronavirus? For example, are masks required when you use public transport?
12. The coronavirus seems much more dangerous to older people. Does this mean young people don't need to worry about themselves?
13. Has the health situation in the world made you more health-conscious? Has it changed your behavior? What do you do to stay healthy?
14. Before the coronavirus pandemic, had you ever worn a mask? If so, why?
15. Did you spend more time at home during the pandemic? If so, what did you do at home?
16. A lot of activities have moved online during the pandemic. What have you been doing online?
17. The pandemic has made international travel difficult. When will we be able to travel abroad again?
18. Because of the pandemic, there is less handshaking, hugging, and kissing. Do people need these kinds of physical contact?
19. A germophobe is someone that is scared of germs or obsessed with being clean. Has the pandemic made us all germophobes?
20. Movies like Contagion and Outbreak are about dangerous viruses. Have you seen these movies? Are they realistic? Can watching them help us deal with the current situation?