It’s important to keep our families safe from COVID-19 by following safety practices this season, but is it possible to follow the safe precautions recommended by professionals while still enjoying our beach time? Many say yes -- here's how:
Understanding how this coronavirus is spreading is complex, but there is some solid ground that we can stand on -- we know some basics. We all know, for instance, that we should keep our six feet bubbles around one another and avoid contact when we can, but what about in the water?
Hop in, the water’s fine!
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that as long as a social distance of six feet is maintained, then the water is safe. COVID-19, to the best of our knowledge, spreads primarily through respiratory droplets. This means that the water is not a great danger to us beach goers!
However, it also means that when we are not in the water we need to keep careful. Make your beach visit as peaceful as possible by distancing, or even outright avoiding, other beach goers. Remember when touching shared surfaces (like water fountains!) to always disinfect. Better yet, bring your own reusable water bottle to reduce shared surfaces all together.
But wait -- are disinfectant chemicals bad for any of the sea’s wildlife? Some products can be damaging to the ecosystem of the water, or to the atmosphere above it. A helpful resource to start with is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) list of disinfectants that are effective against COVID-19. While this list isn’t environmentally bullet-proof, it is a good starting point.
Finding a safe beach from the start
The most proactive move in keeping your family healthy would be to locate a safe beach in the first place. How would you go about this? Here are three of our recommendations:
Cleaning procedures
Does the beach have protocols in place for cleaning surfaces like public bathrooms, water fountains, and handrails? Often this can be found online.
Capacity limits
Does the beach have a limited capacity that is enforced? This can be difficult to find, but limiting contact is one of the best bets for staying safe.
Call ahead
If we want to be serious about staying healthy, the best route is to call ahead and ask about what COVID-19 procedures are established and how they are enforced. If a beach doesn’t have any protocol in place then it might not be the safest choice.
If you make the choice to go to the beach this season, be sure to follow the best safety practices you can. For more further information about beach safety, see this CDC page.
And as always, we don’t want you to forget one of the most important beach essentials - your Shark OFF shark repellent jewelry. It won’t repel COVID-19, but it sure does a damn good job at repelling sharks. Order yours now. Stay safe and have fun!