This summer, with lockdowns and restrictions loosening up and millions receiving their doses of Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, many wonder what will be considered “safe” activities for the summer, especially with venues reopening. Compared to last year, many people are looking forward to a slightly different summer that doesn’t revolve around being stuck in the house. Instead they’re hoping to get a taste of life pre-pandemic, and with 32.7% of the population fully vaccinated, there may be a possibility. 

As summer approaches and the weather starts to get intense, people are already making their reservations for tropical resorts, amusement parks, and family gatherings. However, there’s still lots of uncertainty if traveling to foreign countries will be prohibited. If vaccine passports will be a thing of the future, the percent of the population vaccinated would double, meaning closer to herd immunity. 

But for those who don’t plan on going on luxurious trips, there’s still plenty of activities to do in your hometown or local community where you can still make new connections. The first being a community pool. Pools are great for escaping hot weather while playing in refreshing water with your peers, and according to the CDC, “it’s safe to use swimming pools as long as you stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from others and avoid large gatherings of more than 10 people.” However, the CDC also states that if you and your peers are fully vaccinated, you’re allowed to gather without wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart. Meaning you’ll be able to fully enjoy yourself without any restrictions holding you back when dunking others or playing shark and minnows. 

Drive-in movies are also making a steady comeback, thanks to COVID. Many cinemas were forced to shut down during the pandemic, which allowed drive-ins to become relatively popular again with venues popping up all over the country. Drive-ins are also a great excuse for going out at night with friend. Instead of watching movies on your computer or couch, you can watch in your car cooped up with blankets, pillows, and snacks underneath the stars. 

Recreational sports like soccer and football will be popular this summer as many scrimmages and tournaments were canceled during the fall. Competitive and casual players are looking forward to playing again, especially with restrictions being loosened. The CDC also released new guidelines containing important information on vaccinated versus unvaccinated people, which will determine the course of activities this summer. 

The chart below shows which activities the CDC considers safe to do unmasked outside. 

“Fully vaccinated people should feel more free to gather outside in small groups, conduct activities, and dine,” the CDC said.

However, in public places masks are still mandatory as indicated in the image. People in green are vaccinated, while yellow is unvaccinated, and red demonstrates a high risk of doing activities in crowded areas during the pandemic. Though, with the increasing number of people getting vaccinated, these rules may change.