Is it Safe to Exercise Outside as Coronavirus Continues to Spread?

So your regular game of pickup basketball, doubles tennis, or even calisthenics on the monkey bars may not be allowed at this time.If your form of outdoor exercise is not prohibited, the next thing you need to consider is whether or not you can stay far enough away from people (outside of your household) when you do it, says Judd.There are a lot of unknowns with the new coronavirus, but it is still thought to be spread primarily through person-to-person contact, according to the CDC.“We think it's spread by spit, phlegm that you would cough up, any mucus that would come out of your nose from sneezing,” says Judd. (Or they could fall on your clothes—more on that later!) But if you maintain that six-feet-or-greater berth, the viral particles will likely fall to the ground instead, says Judd.That means that any outdoor exercise involving close contact with others outside of your household—like group runs, rides or hikes, or group sports like soccer or basketball—doesn’t pass muster during this time. Walking, running, hiking, or riding by yourself, though, should be okay, as long as you are able to keep that buffer zone between you and anyone else you encounter, Judd says.Maintaining social distance is the most important thing you can do when you exercise outside, says Judd. Obviously, you shouldn’t exercise outside if you feel sick, says Judd, but because you could still have COVID-19 and not show any symptoms, it’s vital you maintain that distance to protect others outside of your household.Another important consideration: Exercising outdoors, especially in the spring when allergy season is ramping up, can make you more likely to sneeze or collect snot even if you’re not sick, Irvin Sulapas, M.D., a sports medicine physician at Baylor College of Medicine, tells SELF. And if you can’t maintain that distance safely, it is time to pause your outdoor exercise routine (or try it at a quieter time).Given what is currently known about the new coronavirus, exercising outdoors for people who are not sick is likely safe, as long as they maintain the social distancing guidelines, says Judd.But that’s not to say that you have to continue exercising outside.