OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — An essential part of many people’s summer is spending time at the beach.
But even with warmer weather and days out by the water, it’s important to remember COVID-19 continues to spread in our communities.
Marcia Mansaray, the Deputy Health Administrator at the Ottawa County Department of Public Health said, all of the same COVID-19 safety tips we have ingrained, also apply at the beach.
Have your mask with you, and put it on if you get into a crowded situation. But do your best to steer clear of other people, such as on busy piers and walkways.
Social distance and pick a spot at least six feet away from others, and even more than that if you’re not wearing a mask. This also applies in the water. People talking and yelling back and forth can make the virus travel farther in the air.
Also, bring hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes with you, but also try to avoid frequently touched surfaces.
Although the risk of catching the virus might be lower out in the open air, there’s still a lot of unknowns overall.
“Be smart, follow what you've learned already,” Mansaray said. “We've all learned so much during the stay home, stay safe orders. We're reopening, we're going to be encountering each other a lot more than we have before, that's really an unknown area. We don't know what's going to happen with this virus, as we do that. So I just caution everyone not to completely relax everything we've been doing.”
Mansaray recommends for people who are part of at-risk populations to stay home as much as possible. Also, if you’re feeling any new symptoms, don't venture out.
And one last tip, if you pull up and the parking lot is more than half-full, maybe try a different beach or go at another time.
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