Should you wear a mask outside the house?


The woman in the mask walks down the beach at sunset

Photo: Perinpix (Shutterstock c)

Masks protect us from coronavirus, Indoors as well as outdoors. But do you really need an outside mask? In some cases, you can barely cope, but you should still have a mask in your pocket. Let’s talk about the factors that you should consider when deciding whether or not you understand the mask from the outside. (When in doubt, wear it anyway.)

Outdoor air thins the virus

That is a problem with the indoor environment The few respiratory drops that can carry the virus are small. Inside the house, there is nowhere else in the air with these drops. That’s why outdoor dining makes more sense than eating indoors, for example. The risk is not zero; There are definitely super-Spreader events on Backyard parties And very likely Certain Rose Garden political event.

Interaction CO or high covid risk, and many factors contribute to whether it is likely to be out Usually the risk takes an excellent down.

Brief encounters are less risky

Next you have to consider what you are doing outside. Considering the Rose Garden event for a moment, should you wear a mask if you know that you will go to other people for hours, shake hands and hug? Absolutely. In fact, you probably shouldn’t go anywhere. If you know that yet other guests ignore safety measures, that’s double.

Passing someone while you are Jogging outside There is a different scenario. To make this more understandable, it may make more sense to think about someone who has had bad breath or who has recently smoked. Would the scent be overwhelming if you were in the same park with the same people? Or will you find a mild tweak when they pass you on the trail?

Very short conflicts, such as passing someone while you jog or bike, may not be zero risk, But their risk is very low. “In any one case, passing contact is less risky, but such exposure may increase over time,” said Airborne transmission expert Lance Marr. South China told the Morning Post. Wearing a mask means you have to face a lot of people when you are out. It’s a reasonable precaution even if you don’t.

Make a decision based on the circumstances

It makes sense to think about different levels of safety, and use one of the masks. If you’re out, the exposure is short, and people are always more than six feet away, the mask doesn’t add much protection. If you visit a lot of people. On a busy city street, for example – inserting a mask is a helpful safety level.

I don’t wear a mask for most of my outdoor walks and runs, but that’s because I know I’m not likely to fall within anyone else’s six feet or ten feet. I go for a walk on a quiet neighborhood alley where I rarely pass anyone and can cross the street if I do. I go for a run on a road where I am always the only person.

But I prefer to jog without a mask, so I have given up my favorite way of running, where I pass at least one or two people every minute. (If I were to jog there, I would definitely wear a mask; but since most of the other people on that trail are maskless, it looks like it’s not worth the risk.)

There is no official answer as to whether you should wear a mask outside. The CDC suggests That if you can’t stand wearing a mask while exercising, you should consider moving your workout out of the house. This Says the University of Maryland Medical Systems You don’t need a mask if you’re outdoors alone, but you should if you are jogging down the sidewalk. If your city or state offers guidelines for when to wear a mask, follow it. If not, consider the above factors and wear a mask whenever possible In doubt.

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