The outdoors and COVID-19: How to ensure your safety while outside
The whole world is currently grappling with life during these unprecedented times. While some countries are beginning to ease up restrictions, many people have found themselves wondering if it is safe to do some activities now that the infection curves are flattening.
There is no telling when things will get back to normal, but one thing is for sure, life indoors is unsustainable. Eventually, you will have to take a trip to the barber, go to the restaurant or replenish your home supplies.
How does one get to enjoy the outdoors in a world still recovering from the virus? Here you can see several things to consider before or while you are outdoors:
We are in the golden age of access to information. There are several tools that can give you a pretty good picture of the state of the spread of infections in your area. One of these tools is Google. After obtaining its data from Our World in Data, Google shows you a daily case count and a bar graph of the number of infections reported since the first case. There is also a separate graph showing the number of tests conducted.
With this data, you can decide if you still want to go outside and what risk reduction measures you can take.
Knowing that your restaurant adheres to the guidelines doesn’t mean you can let your guard down while dining. Always opt for outdoor dining where there is sufficient ventilation.
Be cautious of items such as menus and points such as door handles and faucets, which people come in contact with frequently. If possible, avoid cash payments instead use your mobile wallet at cashless points.
Activities such as close conversations should be made brief, especially when the conversation happens in an enclosed area. The virus spreads through the release of viral particles from the mouth and nose, and the longer you inhale these particles, the higher your chances of getting infected.
The amount of time spent close to someone is what is used to trace contacts between individuals. While no duration guarantees total safety, always have a mask when in a crowded place or when having conversations with someone outside your social circle.
You have low chances of crossing paths with the virus if you keep your interactions within a small circle. The circle could include a neighboring household that you can trust and set reasonable guidelines with all while maintaining honesty among yourselves. Keeping a small trustworthy bubble would allow for play dates between your kids, friendly gatherings, or visits.
The outdoor experience as we once knew it is now gone, so in the meantime, while we are trying to return to the world, we have to try our best to avert a resurgence of new infection cases in our communities.