With lockdown measures in place around the world, many people are choosing to get some much-needed fresh air by heading out for a jog.
But runners in a New York neighbourhood have been warned to avoid running down one street if they choose to lace up their trainers but fail to put on a facemask.
Currently the World Health Organization (WHO) is advising that people only need to wear masks if they are showing symptoms of Covid-19, or caring for someone who has or is suspected to have the virus.
Despite this, a threatening message has been spotted taped to the side of a parking metre in Lower Manhattan warning that anyone seen running without a mask may be hit with items thrown from the windows above.
It reads: "Selfish joggers who jog on this block without masks be warned - we value the lives of our elderly neighbors and will throw stuff on you from our windows!!"
The image accumulated more than 26,000 likes when it was shared on Twitter by Paul Schwartzman, a reporter for the Washington post, with the caption: "The East Village isn't playing."
The post divided opinion, with one writing: "Joggers really are the worst at this. Universally."
Another commented: "We will assault you for breathing. Very nice NY."
A third said: "I would throw rocks back."
Although joggers have not been specifically instructed to wear masks in the UK or US, a doctor has previously spoken out to advise people to ensure they leave a significant gap between themselves and others doing exercise.
Talking on ABC's Coronacast podcast, Dr Norman Swan said runners pose a threat if they 'invade your personal space just as they are flicking whatever secretions they've got'.
He said: "Sweat isn’t the only secretion you emit when you’re in physical extremist jogging down the road.
"I think you have to assume as you’re breathing up and breathing fast, if you’ve got virus there you are more likely to be aerosolising it.
"When I’m out running, I steer clear of other people and I certainly steer clear of runners coming towards me because these in a sense project that bigger tidal volume, that bigger depth of breathing and rapid breathing - if they had COVID-19 then they could actually be spraying it out a bit more than normal."
