![Rosemary has an unfinished deck she would like to complete. [Tyler Olson / Shutterstock]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/06cce48/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/840x560!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F5%2F21%2Fcoronavirus%20construction%20projects.jpg)
What are your questions about the coronavirus?
ideastream is answering as many questions as possible, with help from local experts in a range of fields. You can send us your questions with our online form, through our social media pages and group or call us at 216-916-6476. We'll keep the answers coming on our website and on the air.
Rosemary from Willoughby Hills says she’d like to hire a contractor to continue doing work on her house, which was put on hold after the governor’s original stay-at-home order.
Rosemary has an unfinished deck and would like someone to plant trees. Hiring people to do outside work like this is very safe, says University Hospitals’ Dr. Amy Edwards.
Viral particles are quickly diluted by the wind and air, so the risk of being exposed to coronavirus outdoors is very low.
Hiring someone to do work inside is more risky though, Edwards says. If it’s a small project with one person, she recommends avoiding the work area by spending time in your yard or going for a walk, and when they are done, clean high-touch surfaces with a disinfectant.
If it’s an indoor project that involves a lot of people, she wouldn’t do it unless it has to be done. She doesn’t think it would be worth the risk of exposing yourself or your family to the virus.
