Residents can still use parks during stay-at-home order but officials urge social distancing

COLUMBIA, Mo.

As stay-at-home orders come down across Mid-Missouri and the state, officials say citizens can still get outside and enjoy the spring weather while keeping social distancing in mind.

Columbia and Boone County are under stay-at-home orders but parks and trails are still open to the public, just with a few restrictions.

"We want people to get outside and enjoy the nice weather. It's spring, we've been cooped up all winter long," Columbia Parks and Recreation Director Mike Griggs said. "But we want them to enjoy it safely."

Griggs said public playgrounds are now restricted. He said they were the most difficult to sanitize often, so city workers have put up caution tape and signs saying the equipment is closed.

ABC 17 News saw basketball courts, tables and other shared equipment being used without signs or caution tape.

"Really when you think about this order, it is about limiting shared contacts," Griggs said. "One person shooting hoops, or a family playing HORSE is not a problem, it's whenever you get 10 guys playing basketball, you are really violating the social distancing there."

He encourages people to get outside and use the trails while maintaining a 6-foot distance between other people and avoiding shared equipment.

Steven Mack, a certified personal trainer, runs a private training studio, Simple Solutions Fitness in Columbia. He has been remotely checking in on his clients to see how they are feeling during these uncertain times.

"Excercise and stress affect us physically and emotionally as well as psychologically," Mack said.

He said while people are stuck at home, they might start to feel a lack of motivation to do work or be productive.

"Getting up and staying active is something that is going to counteract that," Mack said. "As well as getting sleep on a consistent basis and just taking mental breaks."

While he said this is a great time to start a new nutrition and fitness routine, it's okay to take a break.

With nicer weather moving in, experts say being outside in the sun can be beneficial in multiple ways, including creating vitamin D.

"Being outside, taking a run, walking, riding your bike, if those are things you enjoy and are more likely to do on a consistent basis, I always asked my clients to do that in the first place," Mack said.