Potatoes? Trout? Here’s how city of Meridian translates 6 feet of Idaho social distancing

Sometimes, you just have to smile.

Surrounded by tragedy and challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the city of Meridian chose humor Thursday.

The city’s official Facebook and Instagram pages shared an enlightening infographic titled, “Translation of 6 Feet of Social Distancing in Idaho.”

“If you have to leave the house for ESSENTIAL SERVICES, don’t forget the importance of social distancing,” the city posted. “Staying 6 feet from others can help save lives and stop the spread. We don’t all carry a tape measure, so we broke 6 feet down for you ... Idaho-style.’

Six feet of distance in Idaho, according to the informational graphic, is the equivalent of:

▪ ”Fourteen potatoes (the kind raised in Idaho, not those wimpy ones).”

▪ ”Seven blue jays (beak to tail feather).”

▪ “Five trout (size based on the third time he told the story).”

▪ And perhaps easiest to understand as unemployment skyrockets? “More huckleberries than anyone can afford.”

The graphic was the idea of Meridian communications manager Shandy Lam. She borrowed the concept from a similar creation by the University of New Orleans.

That one used crawfish, po’ boys, beignets and sno-balls to make the equivalent of 6 feet.

“I was like, ‘That’s great!’ ” Lam said. “Immediately, it was kind of a relief to see it in the midst of all the chaos right now. And so I thought we could do something fun.”

Meridian communication specialist Emma Bowers helped with the tater and trout conversions, Lam said.

“She looked up all the measurements for me,” Lam said. “This is legit!”

Lam said she tries to maintain a balance on the city of Meridian’s social media between serious messaging and humor.

“It’s been really fun,” she said. “It’s a great way to get people’s attention on a serious topic, but also provide a little humor, which is good for the soul right now. We all need a little something to make us smile in the midst of all this.”

Want to be extra safe when social distancing, Idaho? Use that giant potato they lower in Boise on New Year’s Eve as a reference.

This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 12:26 PM.