GREENSBORO, N.C. —
There's no way around it. No matter where you are in the car, you can't properly socially distance 6 feet away from another passenger or the driver. So, is wearing a mask in your car when you're driving with others the answer?
The CDC recommends it in General Principles for Transportation. If you're using public transportation or ride-sharing, or taxis there's a longer list of things you can do to keep COVID-19 away.
But this cracked window may be the real key. This less than 2-inch solution can improve the ventilation in the vehicle and help make up for the lack of 6 feet of social distancing.
It's all about air particles. When we cough or sneeze, larger airborne droplets containing the virus can travel, usually up to about six feet. Smaller particles can be emitted simply by talking or singing, and can go much farther, and linger in the air for hours, especially in a cooped up car.
If you can't crack the window, the CDC recommends putting on your air conditioning using the non-recirculation mode.
Here's one more recommendation, use hand sanitizer when you get in the car to go someplace since you’re touching so many things inside the car and use the sanitizer again when you get back in the car from wherever you were.