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Bars, barbers, and barbecues: COVID-19 risk as daily activities resume. Food Takeout Ranked as Low Risk
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Mark Mascolini
Picking up take-out at your favorite eatery carries very little risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a survey of US experts [1]. But if instead you opt for burgers and brews at the bar next door, your coronavirus risk could be 10 times higher.
MLive.com, an online news service in the state of Michigan, asked four regional infectious disease and public health experts to rank the risk of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 when engaging in 36 common outside-the-home activities, from bars, to buffets, to basketball. Even pontoon boat rides! To rate an activity from 1 (lowest risk) to 10 (highest risk), the panel weighed five factors: indoors or outdoors, proximity to others, exposure time, likelihood of adherence to prevention guidance, and personal risk level.
Reflecting the partly subjective nature of any such assessment, the experts do not march in lock step on every call. For example, one expert called flying in a commercial plane low risk, two rated it medium risk, and one assigned it high risk. Two panelists believe going to the dentist is low risk, one said medium risk, and the fourth rated it high risk.
Bars, risk level 9: Dense, mingling crowd; letting down guard when drunk; wearing mask impractical for patrons
Large music concerts, risk level 9: Large, dense crowd; alcohol and other drugs; loud talking, cheering, singing spread virus
Sports stadiums, risk level 8: Large, dense crowd; alcohol; cheering, yelling, singing
Gyms, risk level 8: Heavy breathing; difficulty in or disinclination to wear mask; sometimes difficulty distancing
Amusement parks, risk level 8: Difficulty distancing; need for regular disinfection of touched surfaces
Places of worship, risk level 8: Sometimes dense crowd, together for long time; singing, chanting
Buffets, risk level 8: Crowds, close mixing; masks not on when eating; sharing serving utensils; more risk than regular restaurants, but less than bars
Basketball, risk level 7: Close contact with other players; masks uncomfortable; riskier indoors than outdoors; low risk when playing with family
Public pools, risk level 7: Masks not practical; unknown viral concentration in chlorinated water; swimming in your own pool low risk
Schools, risk level 7: Close contact with other students, teachers over several hours; challenge in adhering to mask wearing and to frequent hand washing
Casinos, risk level 6: Close contact, dense crowds; alcohol; loud talking; open floor plans less risky
Restaurants, indoor seating, risk level 6: Masks not on when eating; recirculated air; tables in less trafficked areas safer (away from entrance, cash register, rest rooms)
Playgrounds, risk level 6: Similar to schools (above); mask wearing, adherence to safety precautions difficult; safer than schools because outdoors; supervised playgrounds with fewer children safer
Hair salons, barbershops, risk level 6: Distancing between hair cutter and client impossible; masks required but must be removed for most or all cutting/styling; hair dryers can circulate virus; possibly crowded waiting area
Pontoon boat rides, risk level 6: Risky if done with strangers; possible drinking, loud talking
Movie theaters, risk level 6: Possibly dense, mixing crowds; questionable mask-wearing adherence
Dinner parties at a house, risk level 5: Safer outdoors than indoors; spacing people harder indoors; masks not on when eating
Airplanes, risk level 5: Current uncertain variables include crowd density, masking, disinfection between flights; risk during hours-long flights depends on effectiveness of air filtering
Backyard barbecues, risk level 5: Distancing easier than indoors; masks not on when eating
Malls, risk level 5: Distancing easier in outdoor malls than indoors; masking desirable
Beaches, risk level 5: Risk depends on crowding, distancing; questionable mask-wearing adherence
Bowling, risk level 5: Indoor activity over several hours; distancing (use of every other lane) desirable; disinfection needed for many surfaces; air filtration and circulation uncertain
Dentists' offices, risk level 4: Dental workers need strict personal protection; dental cleaning aerosolizes virus if patient infected; disinfection of surfaces between patients
Walking in busy town, risk level 4: Outdoors; crowd density variable; mask wearing variable
Offices, risk level 4: Good distancing and masking possible; risk grows with longer hours; working at home still safer
Doctors' offices waiting rooms, risk level 4: Risk lower with enforced distancing, masking
Eating outside at a restaurant, risk level 4: Safer than indoors because of air circulation; masks not on when eating
Grocery shopping, risk level 3: Masking and distancing critical; variable disinfection of often-touched surfaces
Camping, risk level 3: Higher risk with big camping events, overnight camping for children; family-unit camping safer, but not as safe as staying home
Hotels, risk level 3: Risk highest at check-in, in other areas where people congregate (like restaurants)
Golfing, risk level 3: Outdoors, little personal contact, s
mall groups; closer mingling, sharing golf carts raise risk
Libraries and museums, risk level 3: Usually less dense crowds, larger spaces; masking, distancing should be enforced
Going for outdoor walk, run, or bike ride with others, risk level 2: Low, brief contact with others; give wide berth to runners, bikers
Filling gas tank, risk level 2: Outdoors, good distancing, brief; virus might stay on gas pump handle
Getting take-out from restaurant, risk level 1: Low risk if new safety measures observed
Playing tennis, risk level 1: Good distancing, usually outdoors
Reference
1. DesOrmeau T. From hair salons to gyms, experts rank 36 activities by coronavirus risk level. MLive.com. June 2, 2020. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/06/from-hair-salons-to-gyms-experts-rank-36-activities-by-coronavirus-risk-level.html
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