In a nutshell, the great outdoors (such as camping) are still pretty great, even during coronavirus pandemic, as long as you follow basic safe guidelines.<\/p>\n
A group of public health physicians rated outdoor camping as a relatively-low 3<\/a><\/u> on a 10-point risk scale. For comparison, they rated a gym as an 8 and a round of golf as a 1. These risks are particularly low in solo or small-group trips.<\/p>\n \u201cStaying in smaller groups is safer.<\/p>\n Stay away from people you don’t know,\u201d offered Dr. Matthew Sims.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you encounter a new group, say on a hike, keep your distance from them. Staying to yourself is a safer thing. It\u2019s great to be friendly, but don\u2019t go up and share pictures.\u201d<\/p>\n Experts also warned people to avoid campfire smoke, campfire songs, because singing aerosolizes the virus, and shared food.<\/p>\n In general, campers should take the same precautions outdoors as they do indoors. \u201cIt’s the same thing as anywhere else — \u200bsocial distancing, masking, cough etiquette and hand hygiene. There\u2019s no magic to it,\u201d Dr. Sims concluded.<\/p>\n Infectious diseases are rare on camping trips. Nevertheless, camping-related injuries kill or seriously injure thousands of Americans<\/a><\/u> every year.<\/p>\n If certain dangerous camping activities are included, like swimming or riding a dirt bike or an ATV, the rate goes even higher.<\/p>\n The rate goes higher still if indirect injuries, like motor vehicle crashes on the way to or from a campsite, are included. Some common injuries are:<\/p>\n Fall injuries are a big risk as well. Normally, injuries like twisted ankles and moderate fractures are not too serious.<\/p>\n But if the nearest doctor is many miles away, the risk of infection is significant, which means these injuries could be life-threatening.<\/p>\n In most cases, camping injury victims spend at least an hour getting to a doctor.<\/p>\n Making matters worse, New York has one of the highest ER average waiting periods in the country.<\/p>\n Many New Yorkers wait almost six hours<\/a><\/u> to see an ER physician.\u00a0This wait can be exasperated by the extra burden healthcare facilities are experiencing during the pandemic.<\/p>\n Extended waiting periods run contrary to a physician\u2019s high duty of care.<\/p>\n Doctors, and by extension hospitals, clinics, and other professional medical organizations, have a fiduciary duty to patients. They must set aside all other concerns, such as employee comfort or making money, and do what is best for their patients.<\/p>\n Misdiagnosis is another good example.<\/p>\n Overall, the correct diagnosis rate is about 80 percent. If your child received an 80 on a math test, you might be happy with that result.<\/p>\n But 80 is a failing misdiagnosis grade, because of the high duty of care.<\/p>\n That higher duty of care makes it easier for a New York personal injury lawyer<\/a><\/u> to obtain compensation in these cases.<\/p>\n That compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages are usually available in these claims as well.<\/p>\nCommon Camping Injuries<\/h2>\n
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Physician Duty of Care<\/h2>\n