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Outdoor dance classes to avoid coronavirus 0:58
(CNN) - Travel bans and closed borders have put a passion for travel on hold, and as the United States and other countries grapple with an increase in coronavirus cases, even domestic travel is increasingly unlikely.
These mandates have left many Americans isolated in their homes, hopefully paying attention to the social distancing guideline outlined by health officials, and only venturing to places like the grocery store or pharmacy.
By keeping you as close to home as possible, millions of Americans are adjusting to the new normal.
But claustrophobia about quarantine is a real, often unpleasant consequence of avoiding the outside world. The worst of this claustrophobia can be avoided in areas that are not closed by going out regularly, moving around, and witnessing seasonal changes that continue despite the pandemic.
In fact, many authorities and experts recommend outdoor activities, with caution.
"You can't just sit at home. There is a certain point where you go crazy, ”says Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease specialist at Columbia University Medical Center.
Of course, there are several factors to consider and several limitations (by location or level of personal vulnerability) as to how far you can venture. And in the areas currently most affected by the increase in cases, most outdoor activities are simply not possible as authorities work to combat the virus.
Read on for some general advice on how to be outdoors during the pandemic, and make sure to keep an eye on your local rules as it evolves.
Walking outdoors in unpopulated areas can relieve stress.
(Credit: Alex Davidson / Getty Images Europe)
If you live near an open space, consider it your ground zero for some fresh air.
Psychologist Baruch Fischhoff, who studies decision-making, among other things, says it's okay to go out, go anywhere outdoors really, as long as you commit to following the social distancing protocols outlined by medical experts.
That means staying at least two meters away from anyone you are not living with. Crowded parks or beaches will not work.
Playgrounds and public facilities like restrooms should be avoided due to their high contact nature.
In Italy, officials have closed parks, gardens and playgrounds, and have banned running and other outdoor leisure activities, which are now only allowed in the vicinity of people's homes. In other areas, parks and neighborhoods without crowds are still considered a good option for fresh air.
Fischhoff, a professor in the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, encourages people to think of everyone around them (outside of the people they live with) as virus carriers, as there are no enough evidence to assume otherwise.
"Older and more vulnerable people, such as people over the age of 60, people with diabetes, heart or lung disease should consider taking refuge in their home under certain circumstances, as these people would be at high risk if they were exposed and infected," Griffin says.
The nearly two-meter rule doesn't apply to the people you live with or hug in your social cohort, a more recent term that describes the few people you've chosen to isolate yourself with.
Griffin explains that the concept of a coronavirus-related social cohort is gaining strength in the medical community.
"With a potential 18-month period ahead, this is a less draconian and hopefully feasible form of social distancing and social isolation in groups that are the size of a large extended family that prevents spread among these isolated groups."
Like social distancing, it can position itself to be the next phenomenon introduced in the wave of new norms of social behavior.
A walk in the woods
Both Griffin and Fischhoff agree that hiking is an acceptable outdoor activity, following the nearly two-meter rule, although it is not without risks unrelated to the coronavirus.
If you go on an hour-long walk with your spouse or a friend you live with and one of you has an accident that requires going to the emergency room, you're essentially adding stress to the already overburdened healthcare system.
Therefore, along with the practice of social distancing and improved hygiene efforts, you must be careful with worldly risks.
"Always be careful, but now be a little more careful," Griffin said.
You must drive to the place where they will hike in separate cars, he says, if the other person is not someone you live with to maintain social distance.
If you do venture out on a hike, avoiding public facilities is paramount. That bench along the trail may seem appealing, but sitting on it is risky since you don't know who else has been there recently.
Griffin points out the strength of the virus: It can live for days on any number of surfaces, including that bank.
"We have not addressed the unintuitive aspects of where the hands go," says Fischhoff, emphasizing that there is more work to be done in this area.
It suggests that if you can keep your hands off things or make sure you don't touch your face until you wash your hands, you can make a better decision to go for a walk or hike.
However, briefly crossing paths with other humans is not a big problem. Fortunately, this passing contact, Griffin explains, is not considered high risk.
But do your neighbor a favor and wait to sneeze or cough once you have the sidewalk or trail all to yourself.
Field rules
While some US national parks They have closed to visitors, many others in the National Park Service remain open and are waiving entry fees.
Kathy Kupper, public affairs specialist for the National Park Service, reports that the fees were not applied “to help provide people with access to nature and the many mental and physical benefits that accompany time spent outdoors "
In addition to meeting social distancing guidelines, Kupper says visitors “must also adhere to the principles of“ Leave No Trace ”and be prepared for some facilities to be unavailable, including visitor centers, restrooms, water fountains or food service ”.
As for camping in national parks or elsewhere, if you use a tent, be respectful of the rules and don't settle near another camp, Griffin said.
Many camps have closed in response to the coronavirus, leaving scattered and more remote sites as the only options.
"Public restrooms in the camps are a bit troubling with the evidence that the virus could be excreted in the feces, so there may be some risk here," says Griffin.
You can check the NPS website or the state parks department sites for the latest information on the park's individual facilities and operations.
People walk on the beach at Lyme Regis in West Dorset, England on March 21. (Credit: Alex Pantling / Getty Images Europe)
Some areas have closed beach access, particularly in popular high-density destinations during spring break.
Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa have issued mandates to close some of Florida's most popular beaches. In Australia Bondi Beach is closing in response to crowds of people who ignore social distancing advice.
But beaches that are open and unpopulated can provide a bit of relief outdoors.
“It's okay to go to the beach. I encourage people to go to the beach, ”adds Griffin, again pointing out the need to find ways to enjoy life and do what we love to do.
Visiting an empty beach in low season is a low risk activity. (Credit: Len Holsborg / Alamy Stock Photo)
Griffin was referring to the beaches during the offseason, not the kind of crowded beaches in Florida that recently hit the headlines during spring break, teeming with young people who were apparently unfazed by calls for social estrangement.
But a Jersey Shore beach or a beach in the Hamptons in March or April? It should be fine if it is not crowded and you are keeping your distance from other beach visitors in low season.
"It is no more unsafe to be on the beach than they would be sitting together in their living room," added Griffin, but added that the safety of going to the beach should be reassessed if the outbreak is still severe when the busy season begins. summer.
Bottom line (for now): Yes, it's okay to venture outside. It's okay to stretch your legs or curl up on a blanket on an unpopulated stretch of beach. Set up a tent that respects the requirements for social distancing.
However, if you belong to one of the highest risk groups, staying inside is a good idea.
"For now, maybe we will have to leave the young and healthy outdoors," Griffin said.
Beach
