High risk – low risk

Contents and plan

Hand out the sheets to the participants. The participants bearing the “high risk” and “low risk” signs respectively stand at opposite ends.

Participants discuss transmission risks and risky behavior (© RKI)

Each participant with a sheet tries to estimate the risk of transmission from the behaviour described and stands somewhere between the two extremes. When every participant has got into position, they have a discussion and decide which behaviours are riskier than others. They can change place if required.
The sheets with additional information allow trainers to lead the discussion and highlight the most important facts.

Variation

If there are not enough sheets for all the participants, the plan for the exercise can be adapted as follows:
The participants with sheets position themselves as described above but without discussing the matter with their neighbours. The participants without sheets then try to correct the ranking.

For consideration

This role play is a good way to revise the main learning objectives with regard to the transmission of Ebola virus disease (EVD) and preventive measures. The aim is not to end up with a perfect classification of the various behaviours. At this point in time there are still unanswered questions with regard to transmission and we are waiting for new knowledge from the current epidemic.