ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — The weekend is here, but so is COVID-19. And while you might be itching to get out and about, public health experts say you have to really think through your plans.
“Remember, the calculus that drives this disease is proximity, congestion, and time," said Dr. Jay Wolfson from USF Health. The more of each, the higer the risk. “So the more time you spend in a congested group, with them, the greater likelihood there is that somebody in that group is going to cough, or sneeze, or yell, or scream, or sing, and spread the disease to you.”
Wolfson says that people who are at higher risk for contracting a severe form of COVID-19 should be more careful about where they go, or not go out much at all if possible.
There are some things that Wolfson approves of, within reason, like going to the beach because you are outside in open air.
"The advantages of open air is at the drop of nuclei, things are being blown away, whenever you have really good ventilation, that is helpful in keeping the stuff away from you for a very long period of time," said Wolfson. However, if you cannot find a big enough spot, around 12 to 15 feet away from other beach-goers, Wolfson suggests moving to a different part of the beach. "The droplet nuclei from people sneezing and coughing, can travel 12 feet. And they can hang even in the air outside.”
For restaurants, opt for outdoor seating whenever possible. If it’s not an option, make sure tables inside are spread out and the restaurant is not crowded. “If you're going inside, please make sure that the restaurant has established its social distancing rules so that there are not people sitting next to each other," said Wolfson.
If you are looking to get errands done this weekend, you may want to stay inside if possible. “I think to the extent that you can do things online for school supplies, for school clothing, even for your own clothing. Do that for now," said Wolfson.
Places are open for us to go. But managing your risk, is up to you.
“The bottom line is the Smokey the Bear line. Only you can prevent COVID. That's really it," said Wolfson.
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