Well… well… well… Here we are, months into a pandemic and states are in various phases of reopening. Let’s talk about what that means, how to be safe, and what may or may not happen.

It’s now summertime in the United States and we are slowly coming out of hiding to see our shadows as lockdowns are lifting. Here in Massachusetts we are in the second gate of our phase 2 opening. Nail salons, hair salons, retailers, restaurants, and more are opening back up with strict masking and physical distancing policies with reduced capacity. Beaches are open to residents, parks are open, and people are out and about more than ever in the past few months since the pandemic began. Other states have been open for 4+ weeks now, for example: Florida, Texas, and Arizona. Unfortunately, these states are also now seeing a rise in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. The likely reason for this was because of premature opening with poor physical distancing and non-existent mask wearing. Other places such as Massachusetts, New York, and Washington D.C. who have adhered strictly to the CDC guidance on reopening are seeing falling cases, hospitalizations, and deaths consistently. This shows that the lockdown and public health measures have worked when employed properly.

Phased and gated reopenings are crucial for getting back to normalcy. What is phased and gated mean? In order to for us to live life in a way that resembles our previous day to day, we need to take things slowly using various criteria which show it is safe to relax our public health measures. Phases are levels of restrictions which get lifted over time. Gates are checkpoints in which a phase can graduate based on various criteria. These criteria include downward trending influenza-like syndrome reported in 14 days and downward trending COVID-like syndromes reported in 14 days; downward trending cases in 14 days or downward trending positive tests as a percent of total tests within 14 days; hospitals treating all patients without crisis care and robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including emergency antibody testing. These criteria are crucial to reopening safely.

Phase 1 recommends all individuals at risk to continue to shelter in place, limit gatherings to 10 people or less, ensure physical distancing and mask wearing, and limit all non-essential travel. Employers are urged to encourage telework, close common areas for personnel, and accommodate employees who are vulnerable. Elective surgeries may resume if clinically necessary or appropriate using precautions as indicated, restriction of hospital/nursing home visitors, and all youth groups/schools should close. If these restrictions are maintained and there is no rebounding, then the population may be gated into phase 2. Social gatherings can be increased to 50 people or less (with appropriate physical distancing and mask use), non-essential travel may resume, employers continue the same restrictions as phase 1 but may resume non-essential business travel, and bars/restaurants may resume business with reduced occupancy using physical distancing and masks. If these measures are maintained once again and no rebounding has occurred, then phase 3 can be gated and entered. Vulnerable individuals may resume public interactions making sure to physically distance, use masks, and ensure appropriate precautions. Employers can resume unrestricted staffing, visitors to hospitals and nursing facilities may resume (using diligent hygiene), large venues like movie theaters, places of worship, and sporting venues may resume activities with physical distancing, gyms may reopen, and bars/restaurants can have increased capacities. This then may become the new normal until cases are extremely limited and contact tracing proves effective to mitigate and contain active infections to resume “normal.” Check with your local department of health/government website to determine what phase you are in and how to take the best precautions to prevent yourself and others from contracting COVID-19.

So your state has entered phase 3 and life is good. This may be a false sense of security as not everyone believes in taking the necessary precautions and may pose a risk to you and your loved ones’ health. So once again, I beg you to continue washing your hands religiously, wear a mask as a courtesy to others, and physically distance when possible. Until we have an effective vaccine, there is always a chance of a surge. If a state sees a rise in cases, they will need to step back into a previous phase depending on their contact tracing/testing capabilities.

So you’re stuck in phase two and want to start enjoying your summer but you’re afraid of giving or receiving COVID-19. My recommendation is to stick to outdoor activities, not just for reduced risk of transmission but get some vitamin D and be outside which is therapeutic in combatting the emotional effects this pandemic has had on all of us. If you are going over someone’s house for a cookout, spend your time outside. If you have to use the restroom, that is safe and just make sure to wash your hands well and avoid touching your face. It may be best to use disposable plates, cups, and utensils and avoid any communal foods or drinks such as pitchers, dips, or casseroles. I have had a lot of questions about pools. Properly chlorinated/brominated pools are safe and COVID-19 cannot survive in these waters however avoid being close to those who are not from your household especially if they are coughing, breathing heavy, or spitting water. As for the beach, this is exceptionally safe as long as you are physically distancing from others.

Recently, I went dining at a restaurant for the first time here in Boston (one of my favorite hobbies prior to the pandemic). I will be honest, even though I’m healthy and aware I am of low risk for complications of COVID-19, I was nervous. It felt good to dress up, walk through my beloved city on a sunny afternoon with my favorite someone, and sit down to an incredible, gourmet meal with a well-crafted cocktail. When I originally made the reservations, I made it for an outside table but some wires got crossed along the way and the restaurant had me reserved for indoor seating. My heart sank… Do I dare go inside and dine? Is it worth the risk? Never in my life, have I ever had such concerns when going out to eat but within that split second of doubt, my rational side kicked in and manifested in the words of “that’s fine.” We sat down at a high top table, servers and bartenders adorned with masks and gloves; a sight I’m very familiar with however it was always in a hospital room, operating room, or my practice exam room. We were far from any other patrons. The menus were accessed on our phones by scanning a QR code. Our bartender/server washed their hands diligently and changed their gloves between every task. Hand sanitizer stations were located everywhere. Once seated, we de-masked and enjoyed one of the best restaurant experiences I’ve had in a while. After the last sip of my delicious gin cocktail and final bite of mussels with crostini, we paid our bill, donned our masks (a feat we both have done thousands of times in our careers) and made our way home during a beautiful sunset. Newbury and Boylston street were eerily quiet for a sunny, 75 degree day in the summer. Oddly, I had a smile on my face, and for the first time in many months, the world felt mostly like it once had.

Like I’ve said in many of my posts before this…this pandemic has forced us to slow down and appreciate the simplest and most important things in life. So as things open up, be patient, respect the staff of the places you visit (and tip very well!), and appreciate the little things. It’s a brave new world, so mask up, wash up, and look up, because normalcy may be nearing. All I ask is you take the appropriate precautions, treat others with respect regardless of your personal beliefs, and smile.

Be safe and stay well!