Is it ok to send my kids hiking with their grandma during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

When Angel Mathis isn’t instigating adventure through Boldly Went, she’s caring for patients as a nurse practitioner, and in recent weeks that’s meant she’s been fully consumed with helping people across Washington State navigate the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. We know that many of you are out there on lockdown, and, like us, you probably don’t do well being forced to stay inside for hours at a time, let alone weeks. Here we are sharing our expert advice on how to play outside safely when you’re self-isolating during a pandemic. (I know, I never imagined  I’d type those words either, but here we are!)

When Tim Mathis isn't instigating adventures, he's writing bios for Angel and calming people the eff down. Seriously. He's a psych nurse and he's really good at it. He's also a great writer, editor, friend, and husband.

Bonus for those of you with short attention spans! In case you don’t want to read the whole article, here are some quick TL;DR Pandemic Guidelines:

1. Playing outside is great. Sun kills viruses (though we’re not sure how quickly in this case). The virus (except under very unusual circumstances) is not airborne. It’s droplet. That’s different. Read on for detailed info.

 

1. Indoor public spaces associated with playing outside are still cesspools, but even bigger cesspools - public restrooms, visitor centers, cafes, etc. Avoid them.

 

1. Crowded outdoor spaces like playgrounds are likely a bad idea - especially for kids or anyone who has to (gets to!) come into contact with them.

 

1. Shared equipment is also a bad idea - including ball sports, playgrounds, rented equipment, etc. The closer to the hands or face, the worse. 

 

1. Go play outside to keep yourself sane, but still avoid the crowds and do activities that don’t involve interpersonal touching or shared equipment - like hiking, running, biking, walking, birding, gardening, or paddling.

Soooo….

You heard the news, your city’s shut down, your kids’ school is cancelled, you’re working from home or not at all, and the world is freaking out. You’re supposed to be keeping your distance from other humans (6 feet folks!), but most of your coping skills involve either going outside to play yourself, or sending your kids outside to play. 

This stuff is stressful. This is going to be rough.

Well, we here at Boldly Went have at least a little bit of good news: social distancing responsibly doesn’t mean staying inside - though you should follow some basic guidelines.

How can I be sure I’m not spreading disease around? 

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