SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Coronavirus concerns have kept millions of Californians inside more than we'd usually like. Stay-at-home orders and other restrictions have many people confused about what is actually allowed to do outside.
The state's coronavirus resource page says, "It's okay to go outside to go for a walk, to exercise, and participate in healthy activities as long as you maintain a safe physical distance of six feet and gather only with members of your household."
Below is a list that the state posted online of what people are OK to do, as long as social distancing is followed. Just because these are allowed, doesn't mean that parks are necessarily open, so check before you go.
The state also advises that people "should not travel significant distances and should stay close to home."
- Athletics
- Badminton (singles)
- Throwing a baseball/softball
- BMX biking
- Canoeing (singles)
- Crabbing
- Cycling
- Exploring rock pools
- Gardening (not in groups)
- Golfing (singles, with carts)
- Hiking (trails/paths allowing distancing)
- Horse riding (singles)
- Jogging and running
- Kite boarding and kitesurfing
- Meditation
- Outdoor photography
- Picnics (with your household members only)
- Quad biking
- Rock climbing
- Roller skating and rollerblading
- Rowing (singles)
- Scootering (not in groups)
- Skateboarding (not in groups)
- Soft martial arts – tai chi, chi kung (not in groups)
- Surfing
- Tennis and table tennis (singles)
- Throwing a football, kicking a soccer ball (not in groups)
- Trail running
- Trampolining
- Tree climbing
- Volleyball (singles)
- Walk the dog
- Wash the car
- Watch the sunrise or sunset
- Yoga
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Coronavirus Background
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine; however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
WHY HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SO CONCERNED
Some people have compared the low overall death toll to the flu's high annual death toll in the United States as a reason not to be concerned about COVID-19, however, doctors and health officials are concerned for three main reasons:
- Some people have built up immunity to the flu, but few have immunity to COVID-19 version of coronavirus.
- Both the flu and COVID-19 are spread by droplets, but COVID-19 might be spread in the air. Scientists are researching exactly how COVID-19 spreads.
- The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public where social distancing measures would be difficult to maintain, like at a grocery store or pharmacy.
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