Is it safe to go to the beach during a pandemic? What you should know

Is it safe to go to the beach during a pandemic? What you should know

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Editor’s Note – As the pandemic continues, CNN is not advising people to do these activities. But if so, there are ways to mitigate the risks. Fully vaccinated people are, of course, at a much lower risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus than people who have not been vaccinated. CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen advises you to approach your activity decisions with this in mind.

(CNN) – With summer coming and more people getting vaccines against Covid-19, you may be wondering if going to the beach is a safe bet.

Even for people who have been fully vaccinated, “nothing will be 100% safe, just as nothing will be 100% risk,” said CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and at the School of Health. Public Health at the Milken Institute at George Washington University. However, beaches “are much safer than other places because they are outdoors”.

The photo shows the beach of St. Kilda in Dunedin, New Zealand. As the world slowly reopens, visiting beaches can be safer than traveling to closed destinations.

The photo shows the beach of St. Kilda in Dunedin, New Zealand. As the world slowly reopens, visiting beaches can be safer than traveling to closed destinations.

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“We haven’t seen that (the coronavirus) can spread in the water,” said Dr. Ada Stewart, a family doctor at Cooperative Health in Columbia, South Carolina, and president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Whether you’re on the beach alone or with family or friends who are fully vaccinated, added Stewart, what helps reduce risk is having your own area to relax.

Always check local government, public health and beach regulations in advance, recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Beach managers may be requiring reservations or limited capacity. Also, plan to arrive “ready to swim”, taking a shower and changing clothes at home first.
When you need to be closer to people – like when you go to the bathroom or concession stand – wear a mask, take hand sanitizer and wash your hands. The CDC advised beach managers to ensure that there is sufficient equipment – such as chairs and other supplies – for visitors and that everything is cleaned regularly. However, bringing hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray or wipes would be helpful for cleaning the equipment yourself.
If you need to bathe or rinse on the beach, try to physically distance yourself from others or enter when the area is not crowded. Bring an extra mask in case your first mask gets wet; according to the CDC, a wet mask is less effective. And don’t wear your mask in the water, as a wet mask can also make breathing difficult.

Get away – on land and in water – from people who don’t live with you. Avoid agglomerations and poorly ventilated indoor areas.

Coronavirus commonly spreads through respiratory droplets during close physical contact, so Wen is more concerned “with what will happen if people leave the beach and go to the bar”. Even if people are far away in places such as closed bars and restaurants, wearing a mask is still best if you are sharing the air.

For long beach getaways, plan in advance which drinks, meals and beverages you will enjoy – and where and how you will enjoy them – while you are there. Outdoor restaurants and bars are ideal, said Wen.

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