Beyond any “new normal” there are easy ways to remain healthful and safe

The COVID-19 pandemic brought certain serious health matters and safety concerns to the forefront of all our activities. It also elicited some surprisingly positive benefits, such as prioritizing spending more time with loved ones and catching fewer colds due to wearing masks and social distancing.

Safer outside of our homes

While it’s still a challenge to remain healthy, fortunately plenty of procedures have been put in place to help keep us safe while away from home. Ironically, medical offices have become some of the safest environments around. Many utilize top-of-the-line air purifiers and retrofitted air conditioning systems with special UV properties to inactivate airborne viruses. Plus, medical offices now let fewer patients linger in the waiting room. Some even ask patients to phone from outside when they arrive before entering with a mask to keep headcounts lower.

Trains, planes and automobiles

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends masks be worn while riding public transportation, such as planes, buses and trains, regardless of vaccination status. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health agrees that COVID-19 spreads most quickly in crowded spots and closed spaces with poor air flow.

The dawn of Delta, and moving forward

The curtain is rising again in theatres across Southern California. While the Delta variant dampened spirits, it didn’t curtail many venues, such as the Dolby, Segerstrom and Pantages, from reopening. To keep patrons, actors and staff healthy, many now require ticketholders to wear masks and be at least 14 days from your final vaccination against COVID-19. You must also present a photo ID and proof of vaccination in the form of a card or digital record. They also train their staff to deep clean and monitor all high-touch areas.

Be a good sport

We love our sports teams and want to support them in person. Fans attending sporting events at the Staples Center can take advantage of mobile ticketing and ordering food. According to their website, Staples employs “Atmos Air and BluEco technology to purify the air inside the arena, and MERV-15 air filters which exceed the current standards.” In addition, they state that “high-touch surfaces and heavily trafficked areas are continuously disinfected, and all spaces undergo a rigorous disinfection and cleaning after every event.”

They’ve also transitioned to being a cashless venue that only accepts debit and credit cards, including contactless and mobile payment methods.

Visitors to Dodger Stadium must also access their tickets digitally via the MLB Ballpark App and present their tickets on a mobile device to enter the stadium. Research venues beforehand to learn about any specific policies they may have, and keep in mind that health and safety protocols are often changing.

Steps to stop the spread

The simplest way to reduce the odds of hospitalization and worse from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated, according to L.A. County Public Health department. Other protections include wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, and recreating outdoors rather than indoors as much as possible.

They also suggest social distancing, using hand sanitizers and washing hands thoroughly in hot water and soap. Stay home if you feel the slightest bit sick. Should you show signs of COVID-19, contact your doctor or visit sites such as publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/covidcare to learn how to proceed.

We’re all in this together. Requirements and/or individual preferences may vary; however, it’s a fact that vaccines, masks and social distancing all help control the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses. The only way out of this pandemic is working through it as a team, one day and one mask at a time.