TORONTO -- Given the continued spread of COVID-19, Canadians are spending less time outdoors. Thanks to suggestions from government and health officials to stay inside, the acts of stepping out for a bit of fresh air and going for a walk have become controversial.

But what about driving? Seeing as a car is an enclosed space, there鈥檚 less chance for outside exposure. For many, it can also be fairly relaxing, helping to relieve stress after a long day of being cooped up. So, is it OK to just go for a drive?

While the Canadian government hasn鈥檛 banned driving or publicly released any sort of guideline as to when it is acceptable to drive, the overriding message from top government officials has been to stay indoors and practise physical distancing.

鈥淟istening to public health rules is your duty,鈥 said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday during one of his daily press conferences. 鈥淪taying home is your way to serve, so be smart about what you do, about the choices you make. That is how you鈥檒l serve your country and how we鈥檒l all serve each other.鈥

Top health officials have echoed this message, asking Canadians not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary, including to go to work, pick up food or medication, or to seek out medical assistance. It鈥檚 also advised not to meet with anyone you don鈥檛 live with and to keep at least two metres鈥 distance from others when outdoors.

With such straightforward suggestions, infectious diseases expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch says there should be no question surrounding whether or not it is acceptable to drive around unnecessarily.

鈥淭here鈥檚 clear messaging on the public health website,鈥 he told CTVNews.ca on Wednesday via telephone. 鈥淓veryone knows what to do.鈥

In fact, the doctor says he鈥檚 been getting a number of questions from members of the public about specific daily practices, including something as simple as how to appropriately play tennis.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be impossible to micromanage every single possibility of human behaviour,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 just hope people factor in some common sense.鈥

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says there is a clear answer to the question of whether it鈥檚 ok to leave the house for an aimless drive: no.

Schmidt encourages people to stay indoors and only leave the house when necessary, such as to get groceries and medication. That means not going for a drive just because you feel like it.

鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have a reason to be out, don鈥檛 be out,鈥 he told CTVNews.ca via telephone Wednesday. 鈥淲e want people to voluntarily comply with the situation we鈥檙e dealing with.鈥

Staying indoors plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of transmitting COVID-19, explains Dave Deines, president of the Paramedic Association of Canada. If you get into a collision, for example, you鈥檙e likely to come in close contact with a number of other people, including paramedics, firefighters and police officers. This contact increases the chances of transmitting the virus.

鈥淓very single call we go to has the potential to be a COVID or [influenza-like illness] call, so the more people outside, the greater the risk of getting infected,鈥 Deines told CTVNews.ca over the phone Wednesday.

While paramedics are expected to wear the highest quality protective equipment, their unpredictable work environment and close contact with patients make them especially vulnerable to infection. Staying off the road reduces the chances of requiring pre-hospital care, says Deines, which is why he recommends it.

鈥淕enerally, we know what needs to be done to flatten the curve and stop community spread,鈥 Deines said. 鈥淪taying home is one of the things you can do to protect everyone, including first responders.鈥

One country that has taken measures to regulate drivers is the U.K. The has recently given its police the ability to issue fines and arrest anyone not complying with new lockdown measures meant to control the spread of COVID-19. According to the regulations, citizens should only be leaving their homes to go to work, shop for food and medicine, exercise, or obtain or provide medical assistance.

If anyone is discovered by police to be outdoors for any other reason, or in groups of more than two people, they can be arrested or fined 鈥 first-time offenders are fined 60 pounds (roughly $105), with fines continuing to double for each offence after.

According to Schmidt of the OPP, similar measures have not been adopted in Ontario, nor are police officers conducting spot checks on vehicles to ensure people are practising physical distancing. Despite this, he says the message to stay home as much as possible still stands.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not pulling over vehicles without cause to verify who鈥檚 inside and ask for places of residence,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut we still want people to voluntarily comply with the recommendations of public health officials and government officials, and not be a conduit of transmission.

鈥淎 lot of people are doing their part to isolate themselves and change their behaviour, but there鈥檚 still traffic out there,鈥 he said. 鈥淎ll our efforts together will hopefully help flatten the curve.鈥