Tips for Summer Safety (During Coronavirus)

6/29/2020

Summer is the time of year made for lounging by the pool, hosting backyard barbecues and spending quality time outdoors with family and friends. But this year’s summer fun will look much different due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Summer is the time of year made for lounging by the pool, hosting backyard barbecues and spending quality time outdoors with family and friends. Normally in July, we gear up to practice our UV safety with layering on sunscreen, wearing hats to protect our face, and never leaving the house without sunglasses. But this year’s summer fun will look much different due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Certain summer traditions will need to be rethought so that you can have fun without risking infection. With gathering restrictions and social distancing measures in place in many communities, it’s time to get extra creative to continue summertime traditions while adhering to safety guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

How do you pull off a fun backyard barbecue, holiday picnic, or trip to the ocean/lake while keeping everyone safe? First and foremost, follow your municipality’s guidelines on how many people are allowed to gather at once. Changes are happening frequently and likely differ depending on your city and state.

With restrictions and social distancing measures in place, it’s time to get extra creative to continue summertime traditions.

Here are some other suggestions on how to stay safe this summer.

Backyard BBQ Etiquette 🍔

Use props like hula hoops, beach towels or picnic blankets to mark off safe distances in your lawn for families and friends to sit. (CDC experts recommend 6 feet apart or greater whenever possible.)

Avoid gathering in the kitchen and other common areas inside the house – ask guests to only enter the house you use the restroom.

Think personal, single-serving of food – either ask guests to bring their own picnics or think about things like individually wrapped sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, cookies in muffin cups, ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, fruit skewers, kabobs, individual bags of chips… anything with no serving spoons required.

Lawn games, water games, or dance parties are all good examples of fun activities that can be performed 6 feet apart.

How to Properly Picnic 🧺

Avoid crowds, and don’t picnic in a crowded park. Think about a picnic at home in your front or back yard… If any of your picnickers aren’t a member of your immediate household, place blankets or lawn chairs at least 6 feet away from each other and don’t share utensils.

In public, wear a mask until you are seated to protect others. When you head to the grocery store to pick up items for your picnic, remember wearing a cloth mask when you're in public helps protect those around you.

Bring hand sanitizer or have access to a source of clean water to wash your hands. This is especially important to do before eating or after handling any raw meat that you plan to grill.
Keep cold foods cold and cooked foods hot to reduce risk for food poisoning. Be sure to use an insulated cooler and ice packs to help keep perishable food at a safe temperature. Bring a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat or fish that you cook.

Safety for Sun, Surf & Sand ⛱️

Don’t skimp on sunscreen. Even on a cloudy day, UV rays from the sun can damage your skin, which is a risk for skin cancer. You should still apply sunscreen to the area underneath a mask to avoid getting a sunburn since masks tend to shift.

Stay away from densely crowded beaches, packed parking lots, or jammed bars. Remember if you can’t stay 6-feet away, you probably shouldn’t be there.

Stay on the move! Things that keep you moving like a long shell hunt or paddleboard keep you from being cramped towel-to-towel on the sand.

Bring your own gear – whether its chairs and towels, water toys, or your favorite frisbee – make sure it comes from home. To be safe, clean your beach equipment with household disinfectants when you return home.