The conventional wisdom is that the coronavirus is more likely to be transmitted in closed spaces than in open areas. So are you safer being close to someone in a park than in a restaurant?

It depends on how close doesn’t it...

I am not well-read on the topic but in theory, it should be a yes. The closer you are to other people and share the same stale air, the higher the chances. During the flu season, I generally tend to avoid enclosed spaces, especially crowded trains. But I wish there will be a study on how far can the virus travel in aerosol form, if they found out that those infected can still transmit the virus dozens of meters away, that would change a lot of things.

Just wash your hands and try to socially distance yourself as much as possible.

As for restaurants, I always try to get a private room 個室

If one isn't available, I go somewhere else.

Yes.

It mostly depends if that person is close to you while talking, singing, shouting, sneezing or coughing.

Maybe. In theory you'd be safer chilling at an open space like the beach, getting some well deserved vitamin D (sunshine) and killing the virus with sunlight. But then you go with a group of people and someone brings some Doritos and everyone grabs some all from the same bag. And the same with other snacks. And then it's not that safer. So it all depends how you do it, I think.

Yes, that is what the epidemiological data indicates. If everything else is the same (distance, activity, etc.) you are safer in an outside environment than indoors.

An important thing is that "safer" does not mean completely protected. If the distance is short, doing something that would produce a lot of droplets or aerosols there is still some risk.

Well, it obviously depends on how close you are. You need to keep a two metre distance wherever you are.

This one cannot be answered, as you also might be absolutely safe in a restaurant full of healthy uninfected people and being immediately infected if all park visitors turn out to be highly infectious superspreaders. But in general, the probability values support the thesis above, of course.

"It affects virtually nobody." -- Donald Trump, September, 2020

According to the man who know more about this than anyone, you shouldn't worry at all.

Obviously you are more likely to contract the virus in a confined and crowded space than in an open area.

Mostly luck of the draw in both situations. If air wind is blowing away or in your face, how close you are, how many people may have the virus, you wearing a good mask, them wearing a good mask, all mucous membranes protected and so on.

Yes.

It appears to be about total exposure time. A windy park limits exposure much more than a calm restaurant.

https://www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them is written by a scientist who is known for converting the latest "science speak" into words normal humans understand.

She also wrote this: https://www.erinbromage.com/post/what-s-the-deal-with-masks about how masks work.

And if you are already sleeping with someone, it really doesn't matter if you are close in a park, restaurant, or at a ballgame. 6 hrs nightly will provide all the exposure you need.