Hey, folks. It's Sunday, and I have a job for you.

​Go outside.

 

Put on a mask if you have one. Maintain social distance. Follow the guidelines in accordance with your local jurisdiction. Don't get arrested, fined, or sprayed with someone else's coronavirus-laden spittle or aerosolized breath. Keep your distance.

 

But go outside.

 

Don't go to a store if you can help it. If you have farmer's markets still in operation, shop there—outside in the open air. But really skate the line. Get outside into the sun as much as you can.

 

Many people have suspected that ultraviolet light exposure and temperature and humidity all play a role in the viability and transmission of the coronavirus. I noticed that the UV index of the places hardest hit early on were on the low side, and they were often heavily polluted which further reduces the amount of UV getting through. But just recently, we have more findings that cement the power of sunlight.

 

It's not a cure. It just makes it a lot harder for the virus to survive outside the body on surfaces or in aerosol form. In aerosol form, the half-life is 1.5 minutes at 70-75 degree weather with strong sun. At the same temp but with no sun, the half life is a full hour.

 

In droplet form on surfaces, the half-life is 2 minutes at 70-75 degrees with 80% humidity and strong sun. For the same conditions without sun, it's 6 hours. For 95 degree weather, 80% humidity, but no sun, it's still 1 hour. Sunlight makes most of the difference.

 

So if it's a warm, sunny day, go for a walk, run some sprints, go for a hike. Garden. Just sit there with a book. Picnic.

 

Do this not because it will cure you but because you probably need it. You probably need to get outside, get some fresh air, change the scenery. And the sun makes it safer.