Do you remember earlier this year, when people were sure that the pandemic would end when the weather warmed up?
Well, funny story...
We are deep into June and the coronavirus is as strong as ever, so we asked cardiologists Marc Eisenberg and Chris Kelly, authors of Am I Dying?! about what people should know about their risk of contracting COVID-19 when they are out having fun in the sun now that we know the warmer weather will not “kill off” the coronavirus.
If you want to visit with friends, an outdoor get-together is better (hopefully that’s an easy change to make, given that it’s summer!). Having a picnic at the park or beach is fine, but you should still keep at least six feet of distance between all of your guests. Even though you are not breathing recirculated air, you may still inhale droplets from others if you are interacting too closely or (even worse) sharing a cold beverage. Of course, you should be wearing a mask as much as possible anyway (which you already knew). If you find it too hot or uncomfortable to wear a mask in the sun, you can take it off as long as you maintain that minimum distance.
Then there’s the question of the risk posed by coronavirus in the water. We haven’t seen any proof that the virus likes to swim, so as long as you are in a body of water that allows you to stay at least six feet away from others, you should be fine—just no kiddie pools, lap pools or hot tubs with strangers. (That last one might be a good rule to live by even after the pandemic ends.)
