{"id":10112,"date":"2020-03-30T11:19:07","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T15:19:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=10112"},"modified":"2021-09-01T14:41:47","modified_gmt":"2021-09-01T18:41:47","slug":"coronavirus-isolation-outdoor-exceptions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/news\/coronavirus-isolation-outdoor-exceptions\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I go outside while self-isolating for coronavirus?"},"content":{"rendered":"

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: As experts learn more about the novel coronavirus, news and information changes. For the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit the<\/span><\/i> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Over the past two years, <\/span>social distancing<\/span><\/a> has become a part of our everyday language and conversations. It\u2019s a concept that many people likely hadn\u2019t heard of until the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, but now most of us are practicing it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CCD) recommends quarantining if you have been in <\/span>close contact<\/span><\/a> with someone who has known COVID-19. Close contact is considered being within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more within a 24-hour period.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have been<\/span> fully vaccinated<\/span><\/a>, you do <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19\u2014unless you have <\/span>symptoms<\/span><\/a>. However, you should get tested three to five days after exposure, even if you don\u2019t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or you receive a negative test result.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many people who social distance regularly still go outside to enjoy a walk or trail, but can you do the same if you\u2019re in self-isolation or self-quarantining?<\/span><\/p>\n

The difference between social distance and self-isolation<\/span><\/h2>\n

Social distancing means avoiding crowded spaces and events. According to <\/span>John Hopkins Medicine<\/span><\/a>, social distancing includes canceling events, closing down many non-essential services like schools and libraries, and having people work from home if possible. People who are <\/span>social distancing<\/span><\/a> are advised to avoid gathering in large groups.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cSelf-isolation is separating yourself from the population if you are believed to have <\/span>symptoms consistent with COVID-19<\/span><\/a>, or have tested positive for it,\u201d says<\/span> Soma Mandal<\/span><\/a>, MD, an internist at Summit Medical Group in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. In other words, an infected person (or someone who thinks they may have been exposed to COVID-19) should self-isolate to prevent coronavirus transmission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Self-isolation is used to separate people infected with COVID-19 from those who are not. People who are in isolation should stay home until it\u2019s safe for them to be around others. At home, anyone sick or infected should separate from others, stay in a specific \u201csick room\u201d or area, and use a separate bathroom if possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What to do if you think you have coronavirus<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Can you go outside if you have COVID?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most of us can\u2019t imagine being cooped up inside all day; the thought of getting outside to stretch our legs is tempting. But what are the rules around self-isolating and getting outdoors?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone in self-isolation can go outside for fresh air, but should ideally remain in the confines of their own home, such as their backyard,\u201d Dr. Mandal says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Susan Besser, MD, a primary care physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland adds: \u201cSelf-isolation is limiting exposure to others at all times. This is done by staying home and away from other people. The point is to limit the spread of COVID-19. If you aren\u2019t around others, you can\u2019t spread or catch the virus.\u201d Limiting exposure includes limiting contact with those who live in your home.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Summer safety tips during the coronavirus pandemic<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Which outdoor areas are safe during self-isolation?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re in self-isolation, you should really not be outside except for your own property, explains Dr. Mandal. If you need to go to the doctor, you should call first, and wear a mask. Your physician\u2019s office may have a policy that the physician will meet you at your car. This is meant to decrease transmission to others in the waiting room and the medical facility. Similarly, if you have to go to the emergency room, you should call first to alert them of your possible COVID-19 infection in order to protect healthcare workers and other patients there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Dr. Besser says a short walk where you keep your distance from others\u2014and wear a mask in case anyone gets too close\u2014is acceptable. Masks help both the person wearing it and the person breathing in nearby air.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Some ideas for fresh air if you\u2019re feeling cooped up in isolation include:<\/span><\/p>\n