A can of worms from the mind of a 5 year old

We were reading a book called “Iris has a virus” today. After the book, Norah started asking questions, which led to more questions, and more questions…
Norah: “How did Iris get the virus?”
Me: She probably ate it or breathed it in.
Norah: “Did she know she was eating the virus?”
Me: No, viruses are really really tiny.
Norah: “How did the virus make her sick?”
Me: It went into her cells in her body and made them not work right. Her body got mad and she got sick.
Norah: “What does a virus look like?”
Me: Here, let me show you (on Google Images).
Norah, upon seeing the virus: “What are those spikey things for?”
Me: those are things that help the virus know where it is, and if there are other viruses around, and when it can start making more viruses.
Norah: “How big is the virus?”
Me: Here, let me show you (an animation found on Google search that shows the relative sizes from a coffee bean to bacteria, to viruses, to proteins, to atoms).
Norah: “How do we breathe viruses in?”
Me: they are so little they can float in the air if someone who has the virus sneezes nearby. You can’t see them they are so tiny!
Norah: “How do we know what they look like?”
Me: Scientists use microscopes to look at them.
Norah: “What’s a microscope?”
Me: Here, let me show you what a microscope looks like (thanks, Google Images!).
Norah: “How does the virus stay under the microscope if it can float in the air?”
Me: Good question! We have slides that we can put tiny things on and cover them up so they can’t move. Here, let me show you (Google Images to the rescue again!).
Norah: “But how do scientists GET the viruses if they are so little and you can’t see them?”
Me: Another good question! They get them from taking some blood from people who are sick, or maybe from someone’s sneezes, or from surfaces like doorknobs, tables, chairs, that people touch. Viruses are everywhere!]
Norah: “Okay, thanks! I’m going to go play now.”