As all countries have gone through various phases of reopening, you might be wondering what this means when training in a group or getting together for a beer after training. Since March, when the world began quarantining and physically or socially distancing itself to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the safest way to exercise has been to do it alone or with a member of your family. But now, we're transitioning from training just to find out how, and yes, you can transition to moving safely with others.
Although the recommendations will vary depending on where you live, there are some general things to keep in mind when deciding what it means for you to train safely in the midst of pandemic concerns. All decisions are individual, but it is important to know how the spread of the virus progresses in your country and city and to follow local health recommendations.
Is it okay to re-train with a friend or training partner?
If you train outdoors, it's probably okay to meet up with a close friend or trusted training partner as long as you remember to keep your distance and avoid physical contact. You should check your local health regulations to see what the current risk is in your area before making this decision. Having conversations with your peers about the amount of exposure they may have had to the coronavirus or the amount of time they spent around others is important to assess risk.
It is key to be able to trust that people will stay home if they do not feel well and that you do the same. Although there is always a risk of exposing or spreading COVID-19 asymptomatically, doing these things can help keep the risk low.
Although the spread of the coronavirus is a risk whenever you are around other people, when people are together in tight spaces, it is when the virus becomes highly transmissible . If you are outdoors with a few people in an area where the number of cases and spread is low and you follow the basic guidelines for social distancing, the risk of spread is less. But you may want to avoid your usual stops halfway through tight coffee shops.
Before considering traveling with a partner or a small group, ask yourself:
- Are there any restrictions on activities or meetings in my area?
- Are coronavirus cases increasing or decreasing in my city?
- Is the number low?
- Am I feeling sick?
- Will those I travel with stay home if they feel sick?
- Are we training in an area where we can spread out?
- Are we in an area where we will not have contact with others?
- Have I or my training partners been around others for an extended period of time, such as in a bar or restaurant, an office, or a club?
- Do I live with someone who is immunocompromised?
Is it safe to train in a group again?
Right now, it's still best to travel alone or maybe with one or three trusted friends until we get this under control. We all need to think of ways we can reduce the spread of the virus over the next several months, and the Saturday morning shopping walk is probably not a good option.
If you consider training with a small group as something you're comfortable with, you'll want to make sure these few people have been properly cared for in the past few months, just as if you were training with someone else. Also, your small group should exercise in a place that they know will not have close contact with others.
And, even so, you will want to stay away and exercise with a mask whenever possible. Being outside can help mitigate some of the risk of the virus spreading, and while we still don't have a clear idea of the distance you need to have, to stay safe, at least 2 meters away has been the recommendation.
How big should the group be?
At this time, it is best to train with one or three people . This will ensure that you can keep a distance between yourself and anyone else you can find.
The smaller the group, the better. You should also consider where you will train to ensure that your group can stay away from others. It will be much more difficult to distance yourself socially if you have a large group and you are in a popular area.
Is there any risk of group training?
Although there has been some recent confusion about the spread of the virus, the WHO recently said in a live session that the asymptomatic spread remains a concern . This means that you can transmit the virus to other people without knowing that you have it, and that others can spread it to you.
Also, it is still unknown when presymptomatic spread can occur (the time before it begins to show virus symptoms), so it is best to continue social distancing practices, wash your hands, and wear a mask when you are in situations. in which social distancing will be difficult.
Another unknown is exactly how much space there should be between you and other athletes, and how far the virus can go due to air flow. So while it is better to give yourself as much space as possible, it is probably inevitable that you end up in someone else's stream, which is where wearing a mask can be beneficial.
But cycling speed is likely to present additional challenges, and 2 meters is not enough distance if you are following another cyclist as it will quickly enter the exhaled breath of the person in front of you.
In an urban setting, you may not have the space to stretch as far as you would like (or it may not be safe to do so). Smaller groups make more sense here as you will have better control over the group.
What should you keep in mind to do sports?
The first thing to consider before participating in any exercise at this time is whether you feel good or not.
If you have symptoms suggestive of COVID, you shouldn't exercise for two reasons. First, obviously not to spread the virus, but also to prevent myocarditis (inflammation of the heart). A viral disease (various viruses, including the coronavirus) can cause inflammation of the myocardium and damage the heart muscle. This worsens with exercise.
However, if you feel good, moderate exercise can be beneficial for your immune system, as long as you are safe while doing it.
You should also consider how many other people you might encounter . Riding a bicycle in a rural and open environment is very different from riding in a concentrated urban area, especially on bicycle lanes or trails.
And, as we move into the summer and many indoor establishments remain closed, more and more people will be sharing popular outdoor public spaces. Similar to what was suggested when the pandemic started, you may need to change your route or walk at different times to avoid crowded areas or trails.
Finally, consider whether you are putting others at risk. For example, if you or someone else in your home is immunocompromised and looking for a zero-risk form of exercise, or if you are concerned that you have been exposed to the virus and might spread it, but don't feel sick, exercising at home is best.
Should you put on a mask?
In the past, you probably trained very close to your training partners, talked, breathed heavily, or spit. These are all the ways that the drops that carry the virus can spread, so be careful. This means that you should not spit and continue to distance yourself, as well as wear a mask whenever necessary. And, especially if you train the person's leeward, it may not hurt to wear a mask.
But if you decide not to use it and are still training with someone else, you will want to make sure that both of you have been careful and vigilant and that you are in an area where the two of you can keep separate from each other to avoid possible spread.
And while you may decide not to wear a mask while training, you should still wear one in case of an emergency that will put you in close contact with another person or an unexpected event (such as an accident or going to a store to buy a drink , since most places of business require a mask).
What should you consider before meeting with a group?
The more people are found, the greater the risk of exposure or asymptomatic spread of the virus.
You'll want to think about what others have been doing to be safe, and that you can trust that the people you train with are also taking the threat of infection seriously by staying home as much as they can, wearing face masks when they're not home. , and they will be honest with you if someone in your family has been sick or is not feeling well.
Again, follow the logical guidelines: don't crash all five, don't share water bottles, drive in separate cars to your meeting place, and avoid hanging out nearby (or have a face mask on hand if you're doing something to speak socially distanced).
If you live with someone immunocompromised, is it safe to train in a group?
Every time we go in public, we not only put ourselves at risk, but we take that risk to the people with whom we live.
If you live with someone who is immunocompromised (has a weakened immune system due to conditions such as cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplants, HIV, or taking certain medications), you are elderly (65 years or older) ) or is at a higher level of risk of serious complications from infection, you must take this into account when making your decisions. There have been more than 182,000 cases (as of June 10) and more than 77,000 deaths from COVID-19 (as of June 6) in people aged 65 and older since February 1.
It is safer to train alone until disease transmission is low in your city.
Are there other risks to consider?
In general, walking on crowded routes or trails at this time is not ideal. You'll also want to make sure you go to the bathroom at home to avoid using public toilets when you're away, assuming they're open. Concerns with an open public restroom should be obvious at this point: there could be someone sneezing or coughing into their hands near you or on surfaces in the restroom, which you probably don't get a thorough cleaning after each use and it has poor ventilation . (Although it is not known exactly how long the droplets remain in an area, studies have found that the virus is more likely to transmit indoors .)
In general, as temperatures heat up, you'll want to make sure you're well hydrated and bring your own water if you plan to be away for a long time so you can avoid using public sources of drinking water.
