Coronavirus Watch: Memorial Day weekend safety tips

As the weather changes and states continue to roll back stay-at-home measures, many Americans are itching to hit the beach and gather for picnics and barbecues.

Here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for staying healthy this Memorial Day weekend:

• Stay about six feet away from other people and wear a cloth mask.
• If you're at the pool, wear a mask when outside the water but not in the water.
• Avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.
• Spending time outside and getting exercise is good for your health, but if you're leaving the house, be sure to avoid crowded parks and playgrounds.
• The CDC advises against playing organized sports, but the White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said Friday that you can play golf and tennis with marked balls.
• If you're headed to a park, beach or other swimming area, do your research beforehand to see if the area is open or has specific safety protocols in place.
• If you're getting gasoline, use disinfecting wipes on handles and buttons before you touch them. After fueling, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds when you get home or somewhere with soap and water.
• Order food and other items online for home delivery or curbside pickup. Only visit the grocery store in person when you absolutely need to.
• Regularly clean and then disinfect tables, desks, phones, tablets and keyboards.
• Wear gloves when you're cleaning or caring for someone who is sick. Otherwise, wearing gloves isn't necessary, even when using a shopping cart or an ATM.
• As usual, cover your coughs and sneezes, monitor your health and take typical precautions.

It's Sunday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network.

Do you have questions about the nation reopening? Submit them through this form, and we'll talk to infectious disease experts to answer them here! Barbara from St Joseph, Michigan, asks: Is it safe to eat out at a restaurant?

Sit-down restaurants where people spend an hour or more increase your exposure over time, and the more people you eat with, the more opportunities there are to become infected, according to Devin Pope, a professor of behavioral sciences at the University of Chicago.

Some restaurants are spacing out tables at least six feet apart, per CDC guidance, but the lowest-risk food services are drive-through, delivery, take-out and curb-side pick up, according to the CDC.

"If you feel that it’s important for your mental well-being to engage in a communal activity, you have to weigh that risk," Rose said. "If you’re signed up to go to a restaurant with your family and friends, even if that night you develop some sniffles, it’s our communal responsibility right now to be good stewards of public health and stay home."

Share your story, experiences and messages for front-line workers and others throughout the nation on Paste BN Opinion's coronavirus hotline. Have any tips for getting through this time of self-isolation? How have you coped with the loss of a loved one?

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— Grace Hauck, Breaking News Reporter, @grace_hauck