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VIDEO: B.C. magician conjures up COVID-19 card trick

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COVID-19 magic trick demonstrating the spread of the virus. (via Screenshot)

A B.C. magician has conjured up a special card trick to help people get the social-distancing message during the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Kaplan, who has been running his Abracadabra Show Productions, for decades, released a YouTube video of the illusion over the weekend from his east Richmond home.

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John Kaplan has devised a special card trick to illustrate how the virus easily spreads. (via YouTube Screenshot)

Using the five of diamonds as the card “infected” with COVID-19, Kaplan illustrates, by magic, how the disease can and will spread if we don’t follow the orders of the provincial and federal governments about keeping a two-metre distance.

“I got the idea from my friend, Max Boyle, who I met when I hired him as a stage tech for my touring magic show a few years ago,” Kaplan told Glacier Media on Monday (April 6).

“He's a teacher and an accomplished musician ...he recently did a live Facebook stream show featuring his music, along with a card trick that he learned from me and presented it with a COVID-19 theme.

“I loved the idea and knew of another card trick, one I've been doing for over three decades that could be adapted to a safety message concerning COVID-19.  I couldn't wait to get it on video.”