Covetiquette: Who gets to pass while walking in your neighborhood?

KUOW reached out to readers and listeners about common concerns, questions, pet peeves, and other issues that have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In other words: How can we all practice good covetiquette? Because these days, it's not just about having good manners. It's about being safe and even saving lives.

Covetiquette is the name the internet produced to cover the emerging social rules amid a pandemic.

Such as this common issue: Who has the right of way while walking on the sidewalk? Who should stop and wait while another person passes? Who should cross the street?

Covetiquette: Society's new rules in the coronavirus era

Drawing from our online conversations, reporting from KUOW and NPR, and a "better safe- than sorry" approach, here is a recommended practice for encountering others while walking outside.

• Older walkers get first priority. If you see someone among the older population, let them pass while you stand aside at a distance. Within the first couple months of the pandemic in Washington state, Covid-19 had the most devastating impact on the older population, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
• People with children or pets have next priority. This is because children and pets can be wild cards, darting off from time to time. There are mixed reports about how the virus affects children, but it is believed that they can spread it. And getting close enough to pet the neighborhood dog probably means getting close to others. So not the best idea right now.
• Single people and couples come next. They have to stand aside for everyone.

One final point: You may need more space while moving around on the sidewalk. KUOW's John Ryan reported on this issue. There are some studies that suggest that people need about 15 feet distance from walkers, and about 33 feet from runners. Read more details about that here.