Popular Science: Pandemic water activities, ranked from risky to riskiest

UC expert offers advice on staying safe during the summer months

Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine, was interviewed by Popular Science Magazine for a story about the risk factors posed by various summertime water activities.

Dr. Fichtenbaum and Jassiel HIV study in lab.

Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand

Fichtenbaum told the magazine people should stick with their COVID-19 social group, and keep at least six feet of distance from other beachgoers, even when wading in the lake or ocean. If you roll up to the beach and there’s hardly enough space to park or lay down a towel, you probably should look elsewhere for a sunbathing spot, he said. He also recommended wearing a mask when walking to or from the parking lot.

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Photo/Yulianto Poitier/Pexels

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