Keeping your lawn looking good may just take your time and effort, or you may need to hire someone to help you. No matter what your lawn care goals and needs are, it’s criticla that you mask while doing the hard work that lawn care requires. Exercising can cause you to inhale or exhale more deeply, and if you are carrying the virus you will expel it further. If you’re near a carrier, you’ll inhale more deeply while exercising and increase your risk of infection.
Wear the Right Mask
You want to wear a fabric mask that breathes and can be washed. This will both protect you from expelling the virus and help you keep your oxygen level up. Breathe in through an “O” lip formation and exhale through your nose to reduce the risk of gasping as you work.
If you need more air volume that exhaling through your nose will allow, draw your lower lip in and try to breathe down instead of just out. This will prevent a buildup of warm, moist air on your face. Work slowly, and if you start to feel overheated or breathless, take a mask-free break away from other people.
Take Breaks
Your lawn management goals can be met over a longer stretch of time than in previous seasons. If you get warm, take a break. If you need to stop for the day, do so. It’s important to note that many who feel breathless or who sense a heaviness in their chest after wearing a mask may be struggling with too much moisture.
If you feel a heaviness in your chest, get into the air conditioning. Blow a fan on your face, neck and chest to get air moving and cool off your torso. Breathe in through a yawn position and exhale through a small lip opening, as though you’re whistling. Breathing through your nose increases the humidity of the air you take in, and you don’t need that.
Hire Someone
Hire a professional who can help with your lawn care needs. If your area is in mandatory shutdown, check to make sure that hiring someone is legal. Find out if this person will bill you via email or text, so you can pay them without coming into physical contact. If not, agree on a price and tape an envelope with their check, or cash, to your front door when they arrive. If you’re vulnerable to the ravages of the virus, accept nothing from them in person.
Discuss Your Situation With Your Physician
Depending on your condition, tending to your own lawn care may be more risky than chancing the virus. If you simply can’t handle the physical risk, check with your local senior center to find out if there are any services you can access that offer free or reduced prices on lawn care. If funds are not a concern, check with your neighbors to see who handles their lawn care.
If you can manage the work, mowing your own lawn is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise. Get out early before it gets too warm. Use cloths dipped in cool water on your wrists and at your neckline to stay cool. Put our a bucket or kiddie pool of cool water and soak your feet to cool off. However, if exercising while masked is risky for you, don’t try to handle your own lawn care.
COVID-19 is a very real risk to every human on the planet. Many people aren’t comfortable in a mask, and working hard outdoors in a mask can make you feel that you’re suffocating. Make the best choice for you and your activity tolerance.
