Headed outdoors over Memorial Day weekend? Be careful, say experts.

As Memorial Day approaches, experts say it’s OK to spend time outside—on beaches, in parks, and seated outdoors at restaurants—if you’re careful.

Scientists think that most coronavirus cases result from close contact from infected people in enclosed spaces, such as restaurants or bars, and that the risk of outdoor transmission is low. But they emphasize that, even outside, it’s still important to stay at least six feet apart from others, to wear a mask when you can’t maintain that distance, and to wash your hands frequently.

Joseph Allen, assistant professor of exposure assessment science at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a May 21, 2020 NBC News article that venturing outdoors will require a certain degree of social trust that people will abide by social distancing guidelines. “We should view going to parks and other activities that are starting to be reopened as a privilege, and one that can be revoked quickly if we demonstrate we’re unable to abide by these rules,” he said.

Read the NBC News article: Memorial Day during coronavirus: Scientists still urge caution as Americans head outside