7 Ways to Make the Most of Summer Despite the Pandemic

Summer is here, and while some have canceled it altogether, others are still trying to salvage the situation. Not everybody will like to forfeit the plans they made for the year, and life will have to go on. But that doesn't mean forgetting about the dangers doing that might present and so you have to be conscious about the actions you take. In this article, you'll be introduced to what the summer offers and how you can safely make the most out of the summer season, despite the current pandemic.

Classifying summer activities according to risk

From going jogging to getting on a plane, the various summer activities might expose you to some risk factors. That means asking the right questions and assessing the situation before going ahead with any plans. There are three levels of risk, which are low, medium, and high, depending on how much you’ll come into contact with others. Low-risk situations are those that require very minimal contact with others and they include going for a walk in a secluded area. Doing them puts you at little to no risk of contracting any disease. Medium-risk activities are those that present more dangerous environments to be out. In such situations, there is a possibility of contact with others, which is a health risk. With a high-risk situation, you're most likely to put your health at risk, and so these kinds of activities are generally discouraged. They include activities where a lot of people will be present. In all these scenarios, safety is still very important. However, the level of seriousness attached will differ from level to level. When engaging in a high-risk activity, you should take your safety precautions and measures twice as seriously as in a low-risk engagement.

Consider the following situations and how risky they might be

1. Going out to eat

Going to the restaurant is considered a high-risk situation because it is an opportunity to be in the same place as many others, posing a health risk. It is not only going there that puts you at risk but how long you are there for. And especially with indoor restaurants, your exposure to an infected environment might be very high. Therefore before going, ask about the policy on masks for both employees and customers. Also, it will help to know the seating arrangement and whether it is outside or inside. Outdoors eateries with well-spaced seats are preferred, and there should be provisions for easy washing of hands.

2. Having a drink at a bar

This is another high-risk activity that is similar to going out to eat. You're in the midst of other people who could be infected and put your own health at risk. If you have to get a drink, find a place that is well aerated, and enforces the safety precautions as directed by the authorities. Otherwise, your own backyard or living room is a great place to enjoy one.

3. Traveling overseas

When you think of summer, some of the first activities to come to mind are touring the beautiful sites of other countries. Most countries are dealing with the virus as well, so there are a lot of things to consider here. First of all, ask about whether the borders are open to tourists or not. You can use an interactive guide to keep up with such information before taking the trip. You can also ask about the airlines' social distancing measures and determine whether it's worth it or not. Again, the duration of exposure to an infected space is more crucial, so you might want to consider shorter flights instead of longer ones. If you decide to get on a plane, prepare yourself to practice all the safety measures, avoiding contact with others as much as possible.

4. Going to the salon

A lot of people miss being able to get the grooming as they usually could, and this is understandable. So the ease of restrictions on movement might get you excited about getting that haircut or your nails done. Before you go, there are a few things to do. One of them is to call ahead and find out about their safety precautions. Just like you would in a restaurant, confirm whether their staff is wearing masks and have access to sanitizers or handwashing materials to work with. Apart from that, you can also book at a specific time to prevent waiting with others, thereby increasing your risk of infection. Also, avoid eating or drinking anything that you didn't bring from there so that you lower your risk of contracting an illness since that is a high-risk situation.

5. Throwing a party

The quarantine and social distancing protocol led to us not being able to see our loved ones as frequently as possible. Now that the restrictions are being lifted, all we want to do is reunite with those people and in the best ways possible. So it is not unheard of to want to throw a party. But keeping the safety measures in mind, ask questions about how safe it will be and what steps you could put in place to make it safer. First, decide the type of getting together you want to organize, be it a picnic or barbecue. Pick out a location that allows for all the attendees to practice the safety measures effortlessly. If possible, encourage them to bring their own food so that the risk of a person to person contamination is reduced. Generally, throwing a party is medium risk provided you know those attending have been adhering to the safety protocol.

6. Going to the gym

Working out at home is one of the encouraging things to do at home to stay fit. But for some exercises, you might need technical tools and equipment that can only be found in the gym. Especially for professional bodybuilders, working out at home might not be the best thing for them. So now that you're ready to get back into the groove of things make sure you're geared up to stay protected before going in. It is a high-risk activity, especially if your gym is public because there will be sweat and possible transfer of fluids. Also, with the likelihood of heavy breathing, health should be the number one priority. So question the gym about the precautions they're taking to ensure everybody adheres to the safety measures. If you are not satisfied, then find a private gym if you can afford one.

7. Going swimming

With the heat that comes with summer, another thing on people's minds is probably getting back into the water. If you don't have a pool at home, then you'll have to go the extra mile to find a pool that adheres to the safety precautions and protocol. When you're at the pool, make sure the water isn't too crowded, and if it seems so, get out and wait for more people to be out before going back in. If you're considering going to the beach, then you'd have to do the work by ensuring you keep a distance from the next person. Water does not spread the virus, and so this is a medium to a low-risk situation if you're taking all the safety measures seriously.

The current state of the world requires being careful about everything you engage in, and one way to do that is to ask the right questions. The rule of thumb, however, is to practice the four ‘W's wherever you go. Wear a mask, wash or sanitize your hands, watch your distance, and wipe down surfaces. Do your due diligence and make sure you're not taking anything for granted so that you can make the most out of summer.

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