This archive report was first published on 14 May 2020.
Coronavirus Update: Experts Recommend Going Outside ¶
Published on May 14, 2020, at 1:32 PM ET
When the coronavirus lockdowns began almost two months ago, the outdoors seemed like a scary place. However, as more virus research has emerged, the outdoors has begun to look safer.
According to a study of 1,245 coronavirus cases across China, only two cases came from outdoors transmission. This combination of research and people going stir crazy is leading to a surge of new expert advice that might be boiled down to: Get out.
Wear masks when you do, be careful about getting close to other people or touching surfaces. Experts are arguing that it's time to think about how to move more activities outdoors, including socializing, eating, shopping, attending school, and holding work meetings.
Many cities are now expanding outdoor activities. Oakland has closed almost 10 percent of roads to traffic, while Cincinnati is closing parts of 25 streets to help restaurants expand outdoor seating. San Jose may let restaurants open in parking lots and public parks.
Another example of the new outdoors push: A nursing home in Los Angeles held an unusual Mother's Day celebration on Sunday, inviting families to wait in line outside and talk with their relatives through an open doorway.
In other virus developments:
THE MORNING FIVE ¶
1. Judge vs. Justice Department ¶
For the second day in a row, a judge threw a roadblock in front of Attorney General William Barr's attempts to dismiss the charges against Michael Flynn, a top former Trump aide.
The judge, Emmet Sullivan, appointed a hard-charging former prosecutor and judge to oppose Barr's effort to drop the case and to explore a perjury charge against Flynn.
