How COVID-19 Will Affect Your Summer
Although certain state governments, including Montana’s, are slowly moving towards reopening their economies, summer as we once knew it will remain on hold as long as COVID-19 presents a threat to public health and safety. People need to approach their summer plans with an eye towards engaging in practices that do not put them at risk for contracting and spreading infection. Although concerts, festivals, fairs, and summer camps are likely to be canceled and postponed, the great outdoors is not off-limits for those who practice safe social distancing measures and follow the guidelines put into place by public health officials. Here in Montana, public gatherings should not exceed more than ten people during phase one of the governor’s reopening plan. Missoula County has put out its own guidelines restricting gatherings to no more than X number of people during phase one.
Any events involving scores of attendants like family reunions and Memorial Day and Fourth of July celebrations may have to be appropriately scaled down. Plan your overnight camping trips, picnic parties, boating outings, fishing excursions, biking jaunts, afternoon hikes, and backyard barbecues so as to avoid contact with any large crowds. Although several national park facilities have shut down, outdoor access is still granted at many different park locations around the country. Check here to find a list of what is still open and accessible.
Experts caution against making any long-distance travel plans or traveling overseas. Interstate travel may be complicated by different protocols in place pertaining to self-quarantining. Favored destination points like water and amusement parks will likely be closed for the duration of the summer. Although some municipalities are opening up beaches around the country to the public, health officials strongly advise against congregating on crowded beaches. Avoid leisure travel to big metropolitan areas where social distancing measures cannot be conveniently practiced. A national map of current infection hotspots can be found here. Experts warn that other hotspots could appear later in the summer.
Students traveling home for the summer by plane should follow the guidelines put into place by the airline industry. Many airlines are requiring passengers to wear facemasks during flights. Try to maintain six feet of distance at airports when waiting for connecting flights and avoid intermingling with large crowds. Bring hand sanitizer to sanitize your hands after using public bathrooms and touching potentially contaminated surfaces. Make sure to fully sanitize the surfaces of your luggage before exiting the airport. While away for the summer, keep up with current conditions pertaining to COVID-19 in Missoula so you can plan accordingly when you return. Students planning to attend summer sessions at the University of Montana will learn remotely.
For many, the passage of summer is marked by trips to the baseball park and watching televised tournaments like the Wimbledon, the NBA Finals, the NHL Finals, and the Summer Olympics. This year, all these events have been canceled or postponed. Sports fans wanting to satisfy their sports fix can access a number of different documentaries available on channels like ESPN. Currently, ESPN is streaming episodes of a ten-part documentary chronicling the Chicago Bulls dynasty during the Michael Jordan era. Sports fans (like myself) who came of age in the 90s can now relive some of their most treasured sports memories.
Experts warn that deaths related to COVID-19 will continue to climb during the summer months. Don’t hesitate to reach out to family, friends, and mental health experts to mitigate any losses or feelings of isolation and depression. The stresses associated with the pandemic will continue to weigh upon all of us for the foreseeable future. A host of well-planned activities and a solid summer routine will provide a needed distraction from all the bad news emanating from the headlines.
The Summer of 2020 will surely be a summer to remember, not because of the things we did but because of things we were prohibited from doing. Still, there are a number of safe activities available to keep us all preoccupied and entertained. Make sure to make the most of your time and return for the fall semester prepared for whatever may come. The Renter Center will be open remotely during this time and will be prepared to assist student renters in need of consultation. We will so you next fall, either on Zoom or hopefully in person.
