To sign 'epidemic', start with the sign for 'sick': touch your forehead with the bent middle finger of your dominant hand while touching your stomach with the bent middle finger of your non-dominant hand. Next, transition into the sign for 'spread': change both hands into open '5' handshapes with palms facing down, and move them outward and away from each other in a smooth, sweeping motion. This combination visually represents an illness spreading over a wide area.
Sign 'flu', then 'epidemic', followed by 'school' and 'close'. Make sure to use a serious facial expression.
Point to yourself and others for 'we', sign 'must', 'stop', and finish with the sign for 'epidemic'.
Sign 'city', then 'epidemic', while raising your eyebrows and leaning slightly forward to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign 'flu', then 'epidemic', followed by 'school' and 'close'. Make sure to use a serious facial expression.
Point to yourself and others for 'we', sign 'must', 'stop', and finish with the sign for 'epidemic'.
Sign 'city', then 'epidemic', while raising your eyebrows and leaning slightly forward to indicate a yes/no question.
Yes, this sign is often used for both 'epidemic' and 'pandemic'. To specifically emphasize a pandemic, you might make the spreading motion even larger or add the sign for 'world' to show the global scale.
The first part is the standard ASL sign for 'sick'. Touching the forehead and stomach represents the most common places people physically feel illness, such as a headache or an upset stomach.
Yes, typically your dominant hand touches your forehead while your non-dominant hand touches your stomach. Keeping this consistent helps your signing look natural and clear to others.
