First, don’t freak out: COVID-19 is not transmitted through the skin, says Treakle. “If you are on the receiving end of spit, avoid touching that area until you have washed with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer. If the area affected is the face, the same recommendation holds, but because we touch our faces much more frequently and unknowingly, try to cleanse this area soon.”
As soon as you can, cleanse with soap and water or a healthy dose of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and consider carrying your own hand sanitizer duringExperts don’t yet know the risk of transmitting the virus from surfaces like clothing, Treakle says. But thereports that coronaviruses can remain on surfaces for a few hours up to several days. If your clothing gets hit by spit, avoid touching the area, and change your clothing as soon as possible, washing your hands afterward.
. When spitting seems unavoidable, do it discreetly and with caution: Get to the side of the path, sidewalk, or street, make sure you’re at least six feet from others, and don’t spit on the running surface.To protect yourself and other athletes who may be out running, sit out if you have cold symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, or sneezing, Treakle says. Other safety precautions include the following:Practice good cough etiquette by coughing and sneezing into your arm, not your hand.
Cleanse hands with hand sanitizer or soap and water after any possible contamination and before eating. Volunteers at water stations could consider wearing ponchos and gloves to protect themselves and others.Treakle advises athletes to stay informed about the best ways to stay healthy during this crisis. “The situation is in flux. Our knowledge about the virus increases every day and the spread of the virus continues to evolve. So what we think is appropriate this week may not be appropriate next week.
...but it’s ok. I run alone.
How about stopping the practice anyway? It's gross, unnecessary, and frankly rude (just like your parents said).
What do you do about the try hard runners that are obsessed with passing you though?