As the U.S. Reopens, Social Distancing Still Matters

In an effort to jumpstart the national economy and allow some regular activities to resume, many U.S. states have begun lifting stay-at-home orders. This means local businesses, restaurants, venues, places of worship and national parks will begin to reopen — albeit cautiously and with precautions in place.

(Verify where your state stands on reopening.)

Why Social Distancing is Critical, Even as Your State Reopens

You might be eager and anxious to get outside, visit others and go back to all the places you love. We encourage you to not abandon all the precautions you’ve been taking to stay safe from coronavirus, just because your area has reopened.

Some people think that coronavirus is overblown, or that there’s a general coronavirus overreaction among communities. However, information from public health authorities like the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proves that coronavirus is not to be underestimated . The CDC still recommends practicing social distancing for the indefinite future as we adjust to a new normal way of life. Even though you’ve already been practicing social distancing for a while now, continuing these practices helps flatten the coronavirus curve and prevent new cases of COVID-19.

To stay healthy, it pays to continue to practice social distancing for important reasons like:

• Coronavirus is still spreading in U.S. states (community spread is still happening)
• Herd immunity from COVID-19 (indirect protection because many people are immune, either through vaccination or prior infection) is not guaranteed and may not happen
• People can have COVID-19 and can unknowingly spread the virus to others even if they don’t show symptoms
• States reopening does not mean coronavirus has effectively gone away
• We still don’t have medicines to effectively treat or a vaccine for COVID-19
• We’re still learning new ways coronavirus behaves and spreads

How to Continue Social Distancing When Your State Reopens

When your state reopens, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe to fully resume your social activities. Continue to practice social distancing to stay safe as you venture out and return to some of the places you know and love.

Don’t Leave Home Without Your Face Covering

In our new normal way of life, you can think of your face covering as a new daily accessory. If you’re planning on going out because your favorite restaurant or store has reopened, don’t leave home without it. Wearing a face covering protects other people if you have COVID-19 but don’t have symptoms. Other people wearing their face coverings protects you for the same reason. It also helps prevent you from touching your face, a key way the virus is contracted.

Explore Nature Safely

If you live in Florida, you might be glad the beaches will be open again soon, or if you live in a mountainous state, you may be looking forward to hitting the trail on your favorite hike. We encourage you to get outside, soak up the sun and enjoy basking in nature. Be sure to stay 6 feet away from other beachgoers and nature lovers, carry hand sanitizer with you and wear your cloth face covering.

Expect a Different Order of Operations at Local Restaurants

As restaurants consider reopening their dine-in options, you can likely expect a whole different dining experience than what you’re used to. When you go out to eat, be sure to wear your face covering and stay 6 feet away from other people. Restaurant workers will likely also be wearing face masks, and may be only using paper menus and have only limited seating arrangements. Do your part to keep restaurant workers and other people safe and comply with your favorite restaurant’s dine-in accommodations.

Follow Your Comfort Level With Staying Home or Going Out

While some people say that coronavirus is overblown, that doesn’t mean they’re correct, and you shouldn’t follow public sentiment that isn’t based on facts . Follow your comfort level with venturing outside as states reopen, even if that means continuing to stay home.

Many people are excited to leave home. If that’s you, we encourage you to stay safe with all the social distancing tips you already know. If you’re still unsure about leaving home or going out to local businesses, don’t feel pressured to do so when your state reopens. It’s absolutely OK to continue to have your groceries or takeout delivered, continue to see your doctor virtually and shop online for all your essentials. Essentially, know that it’s OK to keep doing what you’ve been doing to stay safe at home.

Get the Health Care You Need While Social Distancing

Our health care practices, emergency departments , urgent care centers and doctor’s offices have been taking safety measures to keep you safe during in-person visits. These measures — like temperature checks, enforced social distancing, universal masking and more — will continue for the foreseeable future, and new precautions may be added, too.

However, for non-emergencies, it’s still an option to see a provider in a virtual capacity from the comfort of home. Call your primary care provider to ask about their virtual care options. If you don’t have a provider, or it’s after hours or the weekend, you can see a provider in a real-time video visit on the AdventHealth app , which you can get right on your smartphone, tablet or computer.

We’re Committed to Keeping You Safe

We’re here to meet all your health care needs. Telehealth and video visits are always available to you, but if you want or need to see your AdventHealth providers in person, know that it's very safe to do so. To learn more about the proactive measures we’re using to keep you safe, visit AdventHealth.com.