We went to an empty playground and wiped down the swings (the only thing my kids were interested in) with clorox wipes. But I don't think we'll go again--it's seems unlikely that I'll be able to keep wiping down everything they are interested in, and my kids are young enough it's almost impossible to keep their hands out of their mouths and noses.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.fatherly.com/health-science/playground-coronavirus-contagious/

Good information. So the sun's UV rays can kill the corona virus in as fast as 6 minutes, and heat does a good job too. Our strategy will be to visit the playground in the afternoon after the sun has had a lot of time to spread its heat and UV rays, and avoid the "tunnel" slides. The playgrounds we've visited so far have only 2-3 kids there at most, and we've maintained our distance.

Use sources like the CDC to decide what social distancing is and isn't. Playgrounds with a few kids should be fine, so long as no one touches their faces and they hand sanitize when they leave. I would follow up with washing hands with soap and water when we got home. If the virus is on your hands, it can't infect you so long as it doesn't make it inside your body. Its not going to fly from your hands and up your nose or in your eye. That means keeping your hands away from body openings until they can be properly cleaned. You can also have the kids change clothes when they get home to be extra cautious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People in HK and Singapore go out and about. Probably true elsewhere, but I know it to be true there. And they didn’t develop an Italy style problem. Some of you are determined to panic and declare everyone else selfish.

If you wipe down what you can, and it’s empty, you might get sick. But you would have no one to transfer it to if you’re really staying away from all non-family. People can’t stay indoors for months - that’s also known to be bad for humans.

+1
People are taking their kids to work in Japan. Playing in an empty park seems far less risky.

Those countries started with other measures much much much sooner than they did in Italy. We are on Italy's curve. We need more severe measures now not to end up like them or worse.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: We are not quarantined.

What do you think school closures, event and flight cancellations are?

Right - I agree the purpose is to limit large gatherings and one infected person getting 50 others sick in one fell swoop. But I do believe we need an “official” source of social distancing guidance rather than the armchair experts I see online “shaming” people if they don’t quarantine while failing to acknowledge the difference between social distancing and quarantine.

One is voiuntary the other is mandatory.

Given that viruses can live on surfaces for hours it's not worth the risk.

There's more to it than that. Social distancing is limiting, not eliminating, social contact. It is not congregating in large groups. It is avoiding some things, like shopping malls and restaurants. Quarantining is complete isolation from everyone, sick or healthy. I think what some are positing here is that we should all self quarantine, voluntarily, so as to avoid the spread. This is not possible for many people, whose places of work are still open, who need their income from said places, who need to get groceries, medication, etc. And the reality is that most people are following the social distancing model for now, not self quarantining as some people here have suggested. I have been watching the news here and there. The vast majority of experts are not telling people to stay in their houses and, if outside, stay six feet from any other human being. That is not practical advice. Social distancing will flatten the curve but it is not meant to stop the virus entirely (which is impossible). The situation is very fluid, but let's not all lose our heads here.

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids and we can’t be trapped indoors for an entire month. I don’t mind driving a while to get to an empty playground.

Is this ok as long as there aren’t other kids on the playground?

I know people were saying playground equipment was never cleaned.

Here's a good article. Playgrounds are a no, but going outside is not.

https://medium.com/@ariadnelabs/social-distancing-this-is-not-a-snow-day-ac21d7fa78b4

Social distancing is not the same as quarantine. No experts are telling everyone to self quarantine.

Yes we are taking our kids to the park.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to playground today and there were other kids. Don’t plan to stop going to the playground. I think supermarkets/grocery stores are 100% times worse and it doesn’t stop ppl from going. In fact, it’s been madness lately.

It sounds like OP thinks we are being quarantined?

Dc playgrounds will be closed starting Monday.

Really? How are they going to enforce that?

I thought this article was helpful regarding play dates playgrounds etc

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/14/health/coronavirus-kids-social-distancing-wellness/index.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: We are not quarantined.

What do you think school closures, event and flight cancellations are?

Right - I agree the purpose is to limit large gatherings and one infected person getting 50 others sick in one fell swoop. But I do believe we need an “official” source of social distancing guidance rather than the armchair experts I see online “shaming” people if they don’t quarantine while failing to acknowledge the difference between social distancing and quarantine.

One is voiuntary the other is mandatory.

Given that viruses can live on surfaces for hours it's not worth the risk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: We are not quarantined.

What do you think school closures, event and flight cancellations are?

Right - I agree the purpose is to limit large gatherings and one infected person getting 50 others sick in one fell swoop. But I do believe we need an “official” source of social distancing guidance rather than the armchair experts I see online “shaming” people if they don’t quarantine while failing to acknowledge the difference between social distancing and quarantine.

Social distancing is keeping your distance from all people outside your immediately family who live in your house. So yes, it does mean not having play dates, etc. Also, given that the virus can live on surfaces for multiple days, it seems unwise to go to a playground even if you are alone unless you actually can and do wipe the entire thing down (which I’m pretty sure is impossible).