“Truly, it is a miracle of science that we have not just one but multiple types of vaccines that are so highly effective in preventing serious disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19,” says Lisa Lockerd Maragakis, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and senior director of infection prevention at the Johns Hopkins Health System, both in Baltimore. “It’s really going to change what people are able to do this summer and heading into next fall,” she adds. On top of that, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new COVID-19 guidelines in May, saying that people who are fully vaccinated can resume most activities without wearing a mask or social distancing, both indoors and out. Many states around the country have responded to this rather sudden change by expanding the capacity of parks, trails, and restaurants and no longer requiring masks or social distancing in public spaces or at events. One unintended consequence of the CDC shift may be that some unvaccinated individuals will opt not to wear masks, raising their risk of getting or spreading the virus. “Unfortunately, the risk to unvaccinated individuals is going to dramatically rise as everyone else abruptly stops wearing masks. These individuals might need to curtail their activities even further and be even more cautious until they can become fully vaccinated,” says Maragakis. “The bottom line is that if you are unvaccinated, you are susceptible to the virus,” she emphasizes.
Outdoor Sports and Exercise
Masks Aren’t Necessary While Running or Biking
Both vaccinated and unvaccinated people can walk, run, wheelchair roll, or bike outdoors without a mask, according to CDC guidelines. The risk of COVID-19 transmission outdoors is orders of magnitude lower than it is indoors, says Maragakis. “It’s much, much safer to be outdoors without a mask than to be indoors without a mask due to the large volume of air and the way that air moves, and because of the kinds of activities that we do outdoors,” she says.
Outdoor Contact Sports Are Relatively Safe
Outdoor sports like soccer present a relatively low risk of COVID-19 transmission, says Maragakis. “Studies of sporting events show that contestants on the different teams don’t spend a great deal of time in very close proximity to each other over the course of a basketball game, for instance,” she says. But Paul Pottinger, MD, a professor in the division of allergy and infectious diseases at the University of Washington’s department of medicine in Seattle, points out that team gatherings off the field — for water breaks or huddles, for instance — could allow unvaccinated people to spread the virus. “They should follow the guidelines to avoid the spread of COVID-19, which would include social distancing and wearing a face covering,” he says. Many venues have arranged “pod seating” to help minimize COVID-19 risk. For instance, Citi Field in New York City offers socially distanced sections, with tickets to baseball games sold in pods ranging from one to six seats. Each pod is separated from others by at least 6 feet. Unvaccinated people should socially distance and wear a face covering when away from their pod, Maragakis says.
Kids and Summer Safety
Playdates for the Youngest Kids Require Caution
COVID-19 vaccines may be available this fall for U.S. children as young as 6 months, according to The New York Times, but for now, children under 12 can’t get one. That means indoor playdates still present a COVID-19 risk. “Anybody of any age who’s unvaccinated or partially vaccinated needs to continue to wear a mask when indoors in proximity of other people who are outside their own household,” says Maragakis. Social distancing, she says, is advisable as well. “It’s really the same precautions that we’ve all utilized throughout the pandemic,” she explains.
Parks and Playgrounds Also Pose Risks
Parks and playgrounds require COVID-19 precautions, too, according to the CDC. The agency recommends that unvaccinated people avoid crowded areas and stay at least 6 feet away from people who don’t live with them. Washing hands often for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer can help reduce the spread of germs, the CDC says.
Amusement Parks Require New Strategies
“I would be concerned about going to an amusement park if it were being approached in the old normal way of doing things,” says Humberto Choi, MD, a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “There can be a bunch of people in long lines for several minutes or even an hour or more. Sometimes people have to go into a smaller room before a ride to watch a video or for pre-ride entertainment, and that could be a confined space where social distancing is difficult.” These scenarios would not be safe for unvaccinated people, including children, according to the CDC. While you’re out mingling in the amusement park, social distancing is likely to be difficult, so masks should be worn, Dr. Choi says.
Overnight Camp: Better to Wait
“I think it would be safest to wait for sleepaway camps until children can be fully vaccinated,” says Maragakis. There may be relatively safe scenarios for camps to operate, but these would require measures like not sharing rooms. “It’s possible that a camp could use COVID-19 testing to reduce some of the risk for virus transmission, provided it was done properly,” Maragakis says.
Cookouts, Pools, and Beaches
Outdoor Hangouts: The Smaller, the Safer
Going to a barbecue attended by a few other people is probably okay as long as you are social distancing, says Choi. “If you aren’t from the same household, it’s a good idea to bring your own food, drink, supplies, and utensils,” he says. The CDC recommends that unless everyone in the group is vaccinated, it’s best to keep any gathering small to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.
Swimming Pools Are Fine With Social Distancing
There’s currently no evidence that COVID-19 can spread from person to person through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas, or water parks. The disinfection with chlorine and bromine that are part of the daily maintenance of the water should inactivate the virus, according to the CDC. Outdoor pools are relatively safe provided that people maintain physical distancing or keep interactions brief, says Maragakis. “Since crowds carry more risk, crowded swimming pools should be avoided, especially for the unvaccinated,” she says. The CDC recommends not wearing a cloth mask while swimming because it can be hard to breathe once the mask gets wet, and wet masks aren’t as effective in preventing virus spread as dry ones. Social distancing while enjoying the water is the best way to stay safe.
Beaches Are Back
“If there’s any transmission in the beach setting, I would suspect that it would most likely be from close proximity to people,” Choi says. Especially if you’re unvaccinated, make sure you’re setting up your towel or area at least 6 feet apart from other groups. “What you really want to avoid is a large conglomeration of people in a small space, and this is possible at most beaches,” says Choi. The aerosols (tiny, airborne respiratory droplets) from a person infected with COVID-19 will disperse in a short time outside, which makes transmission unlikely, says Choi. “When the weather is windy or sunny, that time is even shorter,” he adds.
