Birthday card on an orange background with the words "Pretty wild how we used to eat cake after someone had blown on it.....good times" with a cartoon of three people wearing face coverings gathered around a cake with candles, designed by Soula Zavacopoulos, sold via Moonpig, 2020

This particular greetings card shows a very small moment of a birthday celebration that coronavirus has changed – the blowing out of birthday candles on a cake with a group of friends and family from different households. COVID-19 is spread through close person to person contact including droplets containing the virus - spread as people breathe out and talk. Coronavirus may also spread through indirect contact such as touching surfaces or sharing items with someone with the virus.

The wearing of face coverings was unusual in the United Kingdom prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but is now one of the preventive measures including social distancing and hand-washing.

This card was donated by a Science Museum member of staff as the Science Museum Group documented the impact of the unfolding pandemic.