Are playgrounds safe now?

[Anonymous]

How is it that they weren’t safe 2-3 months ago because coronavirus germs could live for days and now it is ok for kids to play on a playground that is never cleaned?

I took my 3yo to frying pan park last week and saw kids playing on the playground. We only walked around the farm and did not go on the playground. Also went to great country farms a few weeks ago and did not let kids play on equipment or jump on the jumping pillow.

I would like to let my 3yo play on a playground again, maybe early this morning at around 9.

Please tell me that these outdoor high touch play areas are ok even if never cleaned. Ugh. I hate Covid.

[Anonymous]

We have gone five times since playgrounds are allowed to open. We sanitize frequently. That’s about it?

[Anonymous]

They were never unsafe to begin with, IMO. The data around the virus living on surfaces was conducted in an indoor laboratory, i.e., it didn't translate to outdoors. The bigger issue is a super crowded playground, which could be addressed if kids wore masks or if you go off-hours.

Have your kid wash their hands after they play on the playground. It's fine.

[Anonymous]

We do early morning playground trips when no one else is there (before 9:30 works well in our area). We sanitize hands before and after. I feel good about it.

[Anonymous]

The risk also depends on the % of people around you carrying and transmitting the virus. At this point, I feel that % is relatively low in our immediate neighborhood (upper NW), although that could change. At the beginning of the pandemic we had very little information about infection rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do early morning playground trips when no one else is there (before 9:30 works well in our area). We sanitize hands before and after. I feel good about it.

Ok we will try to go this morning. Will bring hand wipes and sanitizer.

I thought about bringing cleaning supplies but it seems ridiculous to try to clean the playground before my child plays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do early morning playground trips when no one else is there (before 9:30 works well in our area). We sanitize hands before and after. I feel good about it.

Ok we will try to go this morning. Will bring hand wipes and sanitizer.

I thought about bringing cleaning supplies but it seems ridiculous to try to clean the playground before my child plays.

Yes, it's not necessary. The risk would be if your child ends up very close to a positive person for minutes on end. Hopefully your kid moves around a lot!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The risk also depends on the % of people around you carrying and transmitting the virus. At this point, I feel that % is relatively low in our immediate neighborhood (upper NW), although that could change. At the beginning of the pandemic we had very little information about infection rates.

We live in McLean, close to Great Falls. We used to be frequent visitors of McLean Central Park and Clemyjontri Park. Have not been since March.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do early morning playground trips when no one else is there (before 9:30 works well in our area). We sanitize hands before and after. I feel good about it.

Ok we will try to go this morning. Will bring hand wipes and sanitizer.

I thought about bringing cleaning supplies but it seems ridiculous to try to clean the playground before my child plays.

The first couple of times we went we only let the kids on the swings (lots of kids on the other equipment) and we sprayed them down with sanitizer. Then we started going early in the morning (we get there before 8) and with empty playgrounds it was impractical to keep kids off equipment or sanitize it all. So we let them play. No masks if we’re the only ones there. DD, who is 4, puts her mask on if another family comes. We don’t mask the toddler (he’s under 2). We try to make DD give some space but honestly that is nearly impossible when there’s another kid her age there. We leave if there are 2 or more other families. I got paper soap and wash our hands and then use sanitizer before we leave. DH thinks that is silly and just uses the sanitizer.

I have anxiety and part of me thinks we’re being reckless, but when I try to think rationally about it I think we’re being pretty safe.

[Anonymous]

of course it's safe... until it's not. i wouldn't.

[Anonymous]

100 safe? No. Lower risk than we originally thought? Yes.

You have to make the judgment call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:of course it's safe... until it's not. i wouldn't.

Sure. Everyone has to make the right decision for their family. For us, we think the risk is low and honestly our kids are so happy to be there. FWIW, it hasn’t been crowded at all.

[Anonymous]

It’s low risk. 3 months ago when they shut playgrounds down they didn’t know as Much about the virus. If your kid tends to lick the playground or put their hands in their mouth a ton, don’t go, but otherwise clean their hands before and after and have them stay away from other kids. It’s the standing close together and getting coughed or sneezed on that’s no bueno.

[Anonymous]

I would go when no one else is there, and sanitize my kids' hands afterward. Spread from surfaces is not a major source of transmission.

[Anonymous]

We are still not doing playgrounds - I feel like they are high touch areas. I don’t really care if others go to them though.