Rooster Rock Wagon Trail

[dirtman]

I do the extra social distancing of 2 metres.

[Dave Rappoccio]

Do you seriously think you can get C-19 briefly passing fellow hikers in the middle of nowhere?

It's an airborne disease, so, yes.

This past winter when it was cold enough to see my breath it really hit me just how much of a cloud of particles I put out into the world with every single breath. If I was infected all someone would have to do is walk through that dispersed cloud and they'd be at risk. So even passing someone briefly could still result in infection because you'll be passing through their recent breaths. It gets a bit worse when you remember on most hikes people are huffing and puffing and throwing even more particles into the wind. The chances of infection out in the woods like this aren't very high but they aren't zero.

Personally I keep a buff/mask around my neck and pull it up whenever I see a person and only pull it back down after I've put some decent distance between our passing. I rarely duck off trail unless there's an incoming crowd of maskless people, which I've rarely had to do since for the past year I've been deliberately picking less used trails. I don't think wearing a mask 24/7 when out hiking is particularly necessary but it is common courtesy to temporarily cover up, like getting out of the way so a faster hiker can pass you.

[backcracker]

Covid isn't the measles, furthermore it is impossible to absorb Covid viral load in 1-2 second passing of another individual while hiking on a remote trail outdoors. But wear your cloth mask if you feel protected. I personally don't feel the need to virtual signal with a cloth mask.

[pcg]

But wear your cloth mask if you feel protected.

Geez... how many times must it be stated? Masks are not for protecting the wearer. They’re for protecting other people from the wearer, who may unknowingly be infected.

I personally don't feel the need to virtual signal with a cloth mask.

What the hell does that mean? People who wear masks are, for the most part I believe, heeding advice from experts who are trying to minimize the spread of this disease in our society. Most folks recognize the need for making small sacrifices for the common good. That’s one of the things that defines civilization - considerstion for your fellow man. I suggest that it’s you who is signaling something.

[Dave Rappoccio]

furthermore it is impossible to absorb Covid viral load in 1-2 second passing of another individual while hiking on a remote trail outdoors.

No, it's not. It's unlikely, rather unlikely especially on remote trails with few people, but it is not in fact impossible, and it is irresponsible to say so. The UK variant that has spread to the states (including our region) is also reported to potentially produce larger viral loads in our respiratory system. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101 ... 834v1.full

Trails have been busier than normal this year thanks to the people flocking outdoors and the fires limiting our hiking options, which puts everyone at slightly more risk, even if the risk is still quite low. Having something to cover your face, even if you only use it briefly when passing, is courteous even if the danger is small. It's not virtue signaling to cover up, it's just provably effective, even when not especially necessary.