How to stay safe if you have to venture outside.
As COVID-19 cases spike, staying safe should be priority
Afew weekends ago, my significant other and I ventured to Lucille’s in the Museum District for brunch, hopeful that we could dine on their outdoor patio. I paid for parking, strapped on a surgical mask and set out, determined to enjoy a plate of chili biscuits and chicken & waffles.
When we arrived at noon, the crowds out front looked like something from the Before Times, clustered in groups with no masks and no care for social distancing. An overwhelmed hostess told us it’d be an hour and 40 minutes.
We did not look back. Five minutes later, we were back in the car and off to Baby Barnaby’s in Montrose, where the nearest table was 6 feet away from ours and our sweet server wore a thick face covering. Grits never tasted better.
Like many others, I want to get back to normal life. I’m sick of seeing only my boyfriend and our dog; I’m eager to look at sights and hear sounds that are not the beige walls of my townhouse shaking from the terrible remixes played at the sports bar next door. Maybe I can support local businesses and keep some of our favorite places from closing for good during the pandemic.
Texas’ medical experts have some thoughts on how to reconcile venturing out to restaurants and salons while minimizing the chance of transmission. Here’s how they think Houstonians can stay safe while avoiding social isolation.
The coronavirus starter kit
It bears repeating that the things you should keep handy these days are a face covering and mini bottle of hand sanitizer for the pocket or purse. An order that went into effect June 22 requires businesses in Harris County to turn away any customernot wearing a
mask when entering stores and restaurants.
Although masks are not the be-all, end-all solution to COVID-19, they can be a powerful tool in conjunction with other sanitation measures, such as frequently washing your hands with hot water and soap, staying 6 feet away from others in a crowded place and avoiding going out if sick, said Dr. Diana Cervantes, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of North Texas Health Services Center.
“If people are putting in as many layers as possible in prevention, there is less potential for transmission,” Cervantes said.
The restaurants and salons
Going to a restaurant is much different than going to a grocery store or a hair salon, said Dr. Eric Sandberg, an allergy and immunology specialist at the KelseySeybold Clinic.
Even if the establishment has an outdoor patio, there’s still the chance of transmission from unmasked patrons. Compare that to businesses like barbershops, beauty salons and grocery stores that must enforce a “no masks, no service” rule.
For older people, and other groups at high risk of complications from COVID-19, Sandberg recommends sticking to home cooking, curbside pickup and takeout to limit face-to-face interaction.
Even healthy people who aren’t in an at-risk group should consider frequenting crowded businesses less often.
That risk reduction was what drove me away from crowded Lucille’s to quiet Baby Barnaby’s. Dr. James McDeavitt, dean of clinical affairs at the Baylor College of Medicine, said he’s doing the same thing to ensure he stays healthy, while also supporting businesses who value the greater good.
“We need to start rewarding people in the community who are doing this really well,” McDeavitt said. “We need to vote with our feet.”
If you’re wondering why public health experts keep pushing the message to wash your hands, even though the virus is thought to be transmitted by respiratory droplets, it’s because those droplets can land and survive on surfaces for long periods of time.
Take extra precautions by regularly cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces like steering wheels and doorknobs. (I, for one, keep a plastic bag of Clorox wipes in my car to disinfect after I am out in very crowded public spaces.)
“It will never hurt to wipe down containers and plastic bags,” Cervantes said, “but it really isn’t as important as washing your hands.”
Physical vs. social isolation
What about visiting a family member? Or a socially distanced walk with a friend? A vacation somewhere remote if you quarantine properly before and after?
Doing those things with proper precautions is relatively safe, McDeavitt said.
“If you’re seeing your friends, running up to them to give them a big hug, sitting 2 feet apart without a mask, that’s not safe,” McDeavitt said. “You’re not exposing yourself just to your friend, but everyone they’ve been exposed to in the last few days.”
Instead, he said, try pulling up a few lawn chairs in a driveway and sitting 6 feet apart with face masks. If you want to be a good friend, let them know in advance where you’ve been. Set conditions before meeting up — for example, if you are willing to get within 6 feet of each other, suggest quarantining for two weeks prior to your visit.
It’s still a good idea to walk a wide circle around another person if you have the space to avoid coming in close contact. Avoid entering crowded elevators, if you can. Some businesses will ask you to limit the number of people in an elevator to three or fewer.
“Your chances of getting infected in that situation is virtually zero,” he said.
People want to return to a routine that comforts them, Cervantes said. But it “takes time” to break old habits and build new ones. Part of the process of reducing the surge is to remind others it’s safer not only for them, but their friends, family and colleagues if they opt to telecommute or attend a birthday party on Zoom or FaceTime.
The waves to come
I’m eager to return to a world where COVID-19 can be treated and no one dies from this new coronavirus. So far, Texas seems to be surging in the opposite direction.
Perhaps we can be more cautious, taking care to minimize how often we go out for a steak dinner prepared by someone else. That temporary discomfort is worth getting closer to a future where going outside won’t require a mask, and more importantly, fewer people will catch the virus.
“For us to stay healthy is really our way to help protect some of these other people that can’t completely protect themselves,” Sandberg said.