Yes fine. Much better than going crazy and depressed.

We are really careful. I haven’t been in a grocery store since March 19th. We’ve done doctor/dentist appointments and take out (curbside, no going in). That’s pretty much it. I got an outdoor manicure last week with a plexiglass barrier between us and masks. Outdoor haircuts this weekend for my family with masks for the stylist and us. The males took about 15 minutes each and I was about 30. My son did use a public restroom at the zoo and I wasn’t thrilled, but when you gotta go, you gotta go!

Hair salon (mine is on stylist per room) and outdoor distance dinner, yes. Weekend, yes, if it is a rented house and driving and everyone test or quarantines before.

I have had my hair done and a pedicure, but both salons are tiny -- only 2-3 employees with their clients at a time and strict mask usage. My house cleaner is coming again but I leave the house while she's here. I am not traveling -- I miss it so much but it is the easiest thing to forego.

There is no correct answer. It just depends on your tolerance for risk. For me a hot stone massage is not a need so no. I would get my hair done. I would have an outdoor dinner with friends.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone personally know of anyone that got Covid from any of these specific activities?

I know someone whose friend got COVID at a gym. We have another friend who we are pretty sure got it getting a pedicure.

My state isn't doing contact tracing so we don't know for sure.

I know people who have driven to fairly remote locations to get away for a couple of days, for hiking trips. They've stayed in Airbnbs, gotten takeout, came back healthy. I feel like if you need a break, that seems reasonably safe.

I've been getting bang trims/dry cuts - they take around 15 minutes - at the salon, instead of a full cut. I'm super super super careful generally, and I feel ok with this. It's for a short time, it's masked.

I am getting plenty of takeout. Zero eating inside restaurants. Haven't eaten outside of a restaurant yet. I would consider it if there were no one else around. But I don't feel ready for that yet. We've had friends in the yard for dinner, but not a lot. I just don't want that to be the thing that gets us sick. Too much at stake.

This is part of why this haphazard, a la carte approach to the pandemic response is so hard, though. We are getting all these conflicting messages about what's safe, what's not, and it's left some of us adopting overly risky behavior, some of us - like me - basically living like a hermit still because I don't feel like I have a great gauge of risk, and all of us just out there trying to be public health experts without having the background to do it.

Does anyone personally know of anyone that got Covid from any of these specific activities?

I'm pretty risk-averse and 55. But I have gotten my hair cut twice and eaten outside a few times with two girlfriends, wearing masks most of the time when we weren't eating.

From your list, these two things seemed more vital to my mental health than the others, so I'm waiting out the pandemic before the rest, despite the fact I'm wavering on having the house cleaners back.

We are also hermits.
I would travel if you could drive and stay somewhere relatively safe - like an airbnb instead of hotel. I would not fly.
I would get house cleaners, have them wear masks and stay outside while they clean then air out the house afterwards.
I think eating at a table with girlfriends, no one wearing a mask seems pretty high risk, even outside. I would consider meeting up for a walk or hike with masks instead.
I wouldn't do the other three because I don't need them. If desperate, hair salon.

For you, sure. If you are asking, you will do it. For our family, absolutely not.

Anonymous wrote:NP. My teen is begging to go to the gym. I think it would be great for his mental health and he is very cautious and responsible. Is this still very high risk, even with a mask and precautions?

Can he go early or later in the evening when it’s fairly empty? And tell him he must wear a mask, non-negotiable.

NP. My teen is begging to go to the gym. I think it would be great for his mental health and he is very cautious and responsible. Is this still very high risk, even with a mask and precautions?

All of that is fine. Flying is safer than driving, unless it’s a day trip.

All of the above are totally fine, as long as there are some modifications for the times (technician and you wear mask). Have dinner outside in a spacious restaurant, or in a park. Covid-ify your trip, etc.

We’ve been hermits since March and I’m due for some relief. I’m strongly considering at least one, if not all of the following activities. But I am still worried about the Covid risk. What are your thoughts:

-Pedicure
-Hair salon (I need this so badly)
-Hot stone massage
-House cleaners
-Dinner out with girlfriends
-Overnight getaway for 2 nights (fly or drive?)