For the majority of the pandemic, it has been recommended that people gather outdoors if they must gather at all, but that appears to be changing a little. The Delta variant of covid-19 has changed the playing field even among the vaccinated. Initially, we were advised to take as much of our daily lives outdoors as possible in order to reduce transmission of the virus. Makes sense, right? Well, with how the Delta variant has changed things, we thought we should put together a list of measures people can take to reduce their risk of exposure to the Delta Variant.
Mask Up!
First and foremost, the easiest thing a person can do to reduce transmission, regardless of whether or not they’re indoors, is to wear a mask. Surgical masks, respirators, and N95 masks have all been shown to reduce transmission by limiting the number of aerosolized particles that spread in our breath, sneezes, and coughs.
Get Vaccinated
Vaccinated people are 25 times less likely to fall significantly ill with the delta variant. Getting vaccinated is simple, free, and absolutely encouraged right now. It is the best way we can help reduce transmission and do our part to flatten the curve. By bolstering our immune systems through vaccination, we can ensure that our bodies will be better equipped to fight off the virus more effectively, and thereby lowering our risk of infecting someone else.
Social Distancing
Beth K. Thielen, MD, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Montana has encouraged people to continue socially distancing even when outdoors. The Delta Variant has been shown to spread even when outdoors, which has some medical professionals, like Dr. Thielen, rightfully suggesting that we revert to older, more established, and cautious preventative measures.
Conclusion
The increase in both breakthrough cases and outdoor infections indicates that we might need to exercise a little more caution with the new prominence of the Delta Variant. Doing our part to minimize transmission of the virus has become our civic duty as citizens not of our countries, but of humanity itself. The tips and recommendations here aren’t comprehensive by any means, but all of them offer a good rule of thumb to go by.