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Hello: I live with my father, who is 84 and has been fully vaccinated and has had two booster shots (his last shot was on April 5, 2022). I am fully vaccinated and I had a booster shot on November 3, 2021 (I cannot get another booster shot yet because I do not turn 50 until this October). I live in fear of bringing COVID into my house and infecting my father. I live in a part of Pennsylvania where the community vaccination level is Medium as of June 16, 2022, according to the CDC. I wear a mask everywhere. Do I need to do so? Specifically, I am interested in joining a YMCA, including taking swim lessons. The lessons could be in a pool that is indoors or outdoors. Can I take these swim lessons, either at the indoor pool or the outdoor pool, or will that put my father at risk? Can I take work out in the gym, or will that put my father at risk? Any guidance on these questions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Exercise is good! Exercise can be done safely outdoors because of the natural ventilation (plus ultraviolet light from the sunshine). On the other hand, many indoor environments are poorly ventilated (recirculation of air more typical than bringing in lots of “fresh” air). So, for indoors exercise, you’ll want to select places that pay special attention to improving ventilation (opening all windows and placing fans around the room), limit occupancy (requiring less density, no crowding), and encourage masking.
