Yes, You Can Still Get Outside for Some Exercise

Dig that old bike out of your basement or storage shed, pump up the tires and get some exercise. All the shelter-in-place orders that we have seen say that people may leave their homes to engage in outdoor activities such as biking, running, hiking or walking as long as they comply with social distancing requirements [remember the six-foot rule].

All of us are under a lot of stress and there are few things better to reduce tension than exercise and some fresh air in a natural environment. And exercise has a variety of other health benefits including strengthening our immune systems.

Additionally, some health experts say the risk of infection is lower outdoors:

NPR: "Let's start outside, where health experts say the risk of infection is lower than inside." "That's due to a variety of factors," says Dr. Kevin Winthrop, a professor of Infectious Diseases in Epidemiology and Public Health at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland."

"Usually there's a lot more social distancing outside," Winthrop says. "And environmental factors like wind and UV [radiation, which degrades most viruses] make it less likely you're going to come in contact with viral particles."

And, Dr. Winthrop offered some common-sense advice about exercising outdoors in his NPR interview.

NPR: "Biking, running, power-walking can be done while maintaining at least a 6-foot social distance. Hiking too, although at times that 6 feet can shrink to near nothing on narrow trails.

"I think the risk is extremely low in those situations," Winthrop says. "Of course if someone coughs on you right when you're passing them then there'd be risk. If you find yourself in that position where you have to pass someone on a trail, standing aside and giving as much [room] as possible, not coughing or sneezing while that person's going by, would be greatly appreciated."

So, no excuses. Get some fresh air. You will be glad you did.

#health #news

By: Don Lam & Curated Content