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2B Saturday, June 13, 2020 The Observer & Baker City Herald MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCING WHILE STROLLING ASYMPTOMATIC VS. PRESYMPTOMATIC Defining terms for COVID-19 By Kiersten Willis The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Dreamstime /TNS Sidewalk etiquette is especially important while social distancing is recommended. The sidewalk shuffle ■ Walking is a good way to stay fit, but be prepared to step aside for others someone approaching. She often crosses to the other side MINNEAPOLIS — Abigail of the street as soon as she Johnson has spent most of her notices another party com- adulthood car-free, living in ing her way, “just to let them New York for nearly a decade know, like, ‘Walk in peace, I’m and then in Uptown Minne- already far away.’ ” — Abigail Johnson, chair, apolis for the past two years. • Make room if you can: As chair of the city’s Pedes- Pedestrian Advisory “Able-bodied folks like myself Committee in Minneapolis trian Advisory Committee, who are in relatively good she has been encouraged by health and spry enough to go how many other walkers she’s Now that the threat of jogging have a responsibility been encountering during the coronavirus has made “a to make sure that we’re not pandemic. seemingly simple navigation inconveniencing people with “I’m hoping it leads to people so much more complex,” she more mobility challenges,” realizing that walking is just recommends that walkers use Lindeke said. such a wonderful way to do a kindness and common sense • Forget the hierarchy: and watch the “sidewalk rage.” Should a parent pushing a lot of daily activities,” John- The pedestrian equivalent stroller move over for a kid son said. “People are slowly realizing how good walking is of road rage, which has been learning to bike? Does a dog for your mental and physical documented by University of walker defer to someone car- health. You’re combining all Hawaii researchers, is backed rying a parcel? Don’t bother these wonderful aspects of up by Schneider’s survey of engaging in a complex cal- trail users, which found that being with your community, culus of whose needs trump in your community. You’re get- roughly 20% of respondents whose, “Just get out of the said they reacted to an inter- way,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t ting exercise, you’re running errands, and you’re smiling at ference by expressing anger matter who it is coming at people face-to-face.” to the person who caused the you, how physically able Bill Lindeke, an urban incident. they are, who they are, what geographer in St. Paul who Following a few simple they’re doing,” she said. “Do it pens the Twin City Sidewalks guidelines for sidewalk for everybody.” etiquette should help improve blog, concurs. He calls the • Dodge adventurously: walking trend “a silver lining” the experience on city side- Johnson suggests seeing your to the crisis, and ticks off a list walks or parkland trails. walk as an adventure and of positives: It’s healthy, it’s fun turning front lawns, boule- Before you go and you observe things that vards and streets into your • Plan your route: Lindeke personal parkour course. “If you normally wouldn’t see if encourages pedestrians to you’re driving. you’re physically able, hop in select less-traveled routes But one of the things the grass, jump off the curb, Lindeke has observed, as have when possible, avoiding the do a somersault up the steep so many others out on foot, is city lakes and rivers, as well hill on the side of your apart- as other popular areas with how ill-equipped our side- ment building — just get out walks are to handle increased natural amenities. Better to of the way,” she said. pedestrian traffi c — especially walk in residential neighbor- • Queue up and hush up: hoods around where you live, If you’re in a group, get into for those trying to social- or to explore other less-busy distance. single fi le as you pass others. “Our streets and sidewalks areas farther afi eld. “One of you falls back behind • Be aware: Pay atten- aren’t really ideally designed the other until you pass,” for a lot of walking,” he said. “A tion to people you’re going to explained Juliet Mitchell, a encounter half a block ahead St. Paul etiquette trainer. lot of cities that are designed for walking have much wider and those coming up behind Extend the courtesy even you. Be especially mindful if sidewalks than we do in the further and stop talking you’re on your phone or have as you pass. While a brief United States.” Most residential sidewalks earbuds in. This isn’t really foray through someone else’s the time for deep thinking or airspace constitutes a low in the Twin Cities are about daydreaming during walks. 5 feet wide — too narrow to risk for virus transmission, maintain a 6-foot buffer when “Try not to get too self-ab- closing your mouth can be sorbed,” Lindeke said. parties pass one another. A a sign of respect. “You are once-simple stroll can now feel giving the indication: I can’t Encountering others like a real-life version of the control everything, but I care video game Frogger, dodging Give a sign of acknowledg- enough about you to be incon- other walkers and joggers. ment: A quick hello, head nod venienced for a few seconds,” Although professor Ingrid or smile (for the unmasked) is she said. Schneider studies recre- a good way to start. “I think it • Joggers should hit the ational trail users’ behaviors gets people out of their shells streets: Heavy breathing by and attitudes, some of her when you have to talk to a runners can disperse aerosols research might help us better stranger,” Johnson said. “I further, increasing the chance understand these encounters, think you wake up a little in- of spreading infection and which she’s heard described as side and it softens the edges.” making those around them “sidewalk chicken.” • Scoot over: There’s no anxious. Mask-less runners, She has been seeing density need to invent a new set of especially, should consider and spacing issues on trails hand signals to indicate your eschewing the sidewalks for long before the arrival of intentions, Johnson said. Just low-traffi c streets, Johnson coronavirus. move over as soon as you see advised. By Rachel Hutton Star Tribune (Minneapolis) “It doesn’t matter who it is coming at you, how physically able they are, who they are, what they’re doing. Do it for everybody.” When confl icts arise • Don’t scold: If a cyclist is riding cautiously through a nearly empty pedestrian parkway, there’s really no need to scold them, Johnson said. Neighbors congregating on the sidewalk to chat may not realize they’re blocking the walking lane — cut them some slack. • Say “Excuse me”: If you have limited mobility and someone’s in your way, politely ask for space. Mitchell suggests saying, “Excuse me, I’m social-distancing,’?” in a lighthearted tone. • Keep walking: If another person makes a rude com- ment about your sidewalk etiquette or social-distancing practices, Mitchell advises ignoring the remarks. “Keep a-steppin’,” she said. “Don’t give them the satisfaction of knowing they riled you up. Don’t give them your energy. Life’s too short. You don’t have to always respond. Just notice it for what it is and keep mov- ing.” With evolving updates from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta about the novel coronavirus, there may be some confusion about the ways it can spread. There is a difference between asymptomatic and presymptomatic spread of the virus, which causes the disease COVID-19. Here’s a breakdown of the differ- ences and some questions people might have about them. WHO defi nes asymptomatic spread as when trans- mission occurs by people who do not have symptoms and will never get them. But these infected carriers could still get others sick. Conversely, presymptomatic spread is transmission by people who don’t look or feel sick but will eventually get symptoms later. Can people spread the coronavirus if they don’t have symptoms? According to NPR global health correspondent Jason Beaubien, the answer is yes. “There’s documented evidence of people who are not showing any symptoms transmitting this virus to others,” he told NPR. “And there are studies in labora- tories that have also found that there’s transmissible virus in infected people who have not yet gotten sick or may never get sick with COVID.” How is it possible to spread the coronavirus without symptoms? People can release droplets from their mouths when they cough or exhale, and that could spread the virus if someone inhales those droplets. “When you speak, sometimes you’ll spit a little bit,” Anne Rimoin, an epidemiology professor at UCLA’s School of Public Health told CNN. “You’ll rub your nose. You’ll touch your mouth. You’ll rub your eyes. And then you’ll touch other surfaces, and then you will be spreading virus if you are infected and shedding (the virus).” Is there a way to tell if someone is asymptomatic or presymptomatic? Since both carriers appear and feel normal, you can’t tell the difference between the two. However, symptoms will show up in presymptomatic carriers later on. “Detailed contact tracing from Taiwan as well as the fi rst European transmission chain in Germany suggested that true asymptomatics rarely transmit,” Babak Javid, a principal investigator at Tsinghua Uni- versity School of Medicine in Beijing and an infectious disease consultant at Cambridge University Hospitals, told the outlet. “However, those (and many other) studies have found that paucisymptomatic transmission can occur, and in particular, in the German study, they found that trans- mission often appeared to occur before or on the day symptoms fi rst appeared,” Javid added. The CDC continues to recommend that people wear cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of the virus. Growing Years Generations 75 Together f r 75 Years SINCE E 1945 Where we meet all Your Banking Needs in one place. 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