How Likely Are You to Contract COVID-19 with Certain Activities?

Sometimes we overthink the things we’re doing: is going out on a walk safe? Is getting takeout from a restaurant safe? Assuming you’re taking the right precautions, such as wearing masks and gloves, some of these tasks aren’t as bad as they may seem.

(courtesy of abc7 news)

This chart shows the different risks of activities, ranging from opening the mail to going to the bar. Things like getting takeout from a restaurant or going out for a walk with others aren’t as high risk as it may feel. It all depends on whether or not you’re with other people or not. If you want to go on a walk on your own, then you can without being at a high risk. Unfortunately, not all activities are low-no risk. Close contact activities such as playing basketball or football fall into the moderate-high risk category. Working out at a gym is especially dangerous, because you’re in very close contact with other people. Because you’re so close to other people, it can be easier for the virus to spread from person to person. This is the same as going to a concert or attending a sports stadium.

With minimal social distancing, it’s not very safe, even with masks and gloves.

Options

If you’re looking for something to do with your friends while social distancing, having a small picnic or even playing tennis would be a good option. A picnic where everyone is separated by 6 feet would be safer than eating out at a restaurant with your friends. It’s a lot safer to pack your food from home and sit slightly separated from everyone else. Playing tennis is a good option too, mainly because it’s a naturally socially distanced sport. Taking out an hour in your day to play tennis is healthy both physically and mentally.

Advice

It’s been 5 months since we’ve gone into quarantine and having to be separated from our friends can be stressful. Although this doesn’t mean disregard all social distancing rules and precautions, there are ways that you can see them without risking a lot. Just think about what you want to do and refer to the chart. Have fun and be safe!