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

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

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

Even for people who are 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 management at George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. However, beaches “are much safer than other environments because they are outdoors”.

Pictured is St. Kilda Beach in Dunedin, New Zealand. As the world slowly re-opens, visiting beaches can be safer than traveling to indoor destinations.

Pictured is St. Kilda Beach in Dunedin, New Zealand. As the world slowly re-opens, visiting beaches can be safer than traveling to indoor destinations.

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“We have not seen that (coronavirus) can be spread in water,” said Dr. Ada Stewart, a primary care physician at Cooperative Health in Columbia, South Carolina, and the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Whether you’re on the beach alone or with fully vaccinated family or friends, Stewart added, helping to reduce the risk is having your own place to relax.

Always check ahead of time for local government, public health office, and beach regulations, recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The beach managers may require reservations or a limited capacity. Also, plan to arrive “swim-ready” by showering and changing at home first.
For times when you may need to be closer to people – such as when you visit the restroom or concession stand – wear a mask, wear hand sanitizer, and wash your hands. The CDC has advised beach administrators to ensure that there is adequate 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 useful for cleaning equipment yourself.
If you need to shower or rinse off at the beach, try to distance yourself physically from others or go in 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, because a wet mask can also make breathing difficult.

Distance yourself – on land and in the water – from people who don’t live with you. Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor areas.

Coronavirus usually spreads via respiratory droplets during close physical contact, so Wen is more concerned “about what happens when people leave the beach and eventually go to the bar.” Even when people are remote in places like indoor bars and restaurants, wearing a mask is still best if you are sharing air.

For long beach outings, plan ahead of time what refreshments, meals, and drinks you’ll enjoy – and where and how you’ll enjoy them – while you’re there. Outdoor restaurants and bars are ideal, Wen said.

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