Activity 4: Meningitis and viruses - Text only

Meningitis can also be caused by viruses.

Viruses are different to micro-organisms and are much smaller.


Viruses come in lots of different shapes.

Viruses can be spread between people by coughing, sneezing, or by not washing your hands after going to the toilet.


Viruses have long names such as Coxsackie and Herpes Simplex.

Coxsackie viruses live in our intestines and are flushed out with everything else when we go to the toilet.

These viruses can cause meningitis but more commonly cause upset tummies.

That’s why washing your hands is so important!


Viruses are not alive.

They are just collections of chemicals.

They can make us very ill if they invade our bodies.


Can you help this boy jump over the stepping stones?

See if you can answer all the questions…

Question 1 – “Are viruses bigger or smaller than bacteria?”
Answers – “Bigger”,”Smaller”
Right answer – “Smaller”
Response – “Viruses are smaller than bacteria”
Question 2 – “What shapes can a virus have?”
Answers – “Round”,”Rod”,”Fat”,”Spiral”,”Comma”
Right answer – “Round”,”Rod”,”Spiral”,”Comma”
Response – “Viruses can be round, rod, spiral or comma shaped”
Question 3 – “Is bacteria alive or dead?”;
Answers – “Alive”,”Dead”
Right answer – “Alive”
Response – “Bacteria is alive”
Question 4 – “Is a virus alive or just a collection of chemicals?”
Answers – “Alive”,”Just a collection of chemicals”);
Right answer – “Just a collection of chemicals”;
Response – “A virus isn’t alive, it’s just a collection of chemicals.”;
Question 5 – “How can you catch a virus?”;
Answers – “Not eating vegetables”,”Blowing up balloons”,”Not washing your hands”,”Playing too many computer games”
Right answer – “Not washing your hands”
Response – “You should wash your hands after using the toilet and before eating to get rid of bad bugs that may make us ill”

Well done! You have completed the quiz

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