Going to a bar is the worst thing you can do, and the safest, opening your mail.
Some say Texas is a country unto itself. Of course it isn’t technically, (yet), but it is home to some big movers and shakers, as well as some large ideas. Earlier this summer, the Texas Medical Association (TMA) shared some of its knowledge on Twitter. We thought it might be helpful to spread it around as what happens in Texas might not stay in Texas.
To help everyone stay safe, the state put together a list of over 35 things that could potentially expose you to the coronavirus. They rated just how risky these behaviors and activities can be during the pandemic. We’re talkin’ eating in a restaurant, going shopping, feelin’ the love at church, you get the picture.
What proved to be the riskiest? On a scale of one to ten, four activities were said to be the worst you could possibly participate in. These included attending a large music concert, going to see live sports in a stadium, attending a religious service with 500 or more people, and last but certainly not least, going to a bar. Yes, going out for a beer at your local watering hole could potentially be as deadly as seeing your favorite football team live on game day with thousands of other COVID-19 carriers surrounding you on all sides.
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What came next? While the scale ranged from 1 to 10, there were five broad categories of riskiness presented. Working out at a gym, eating at a buffet, and going to the movies all came next. Attending an amusement park was also all considered to be a very high risk thing to do. Even more risky than hugging or shaking hands, if you can believe it.
Things like going to a hair salon, and traveling on an airplane came next. Sitting in the middle of the scale was shopping at a mall, sending kids back to school, camp, or daycare, and working for a week in an office building.
On the lower end of riskiness was grocery shopping, going to a library or museum, going to the playground for an hour, walking in a busy downtown area, and playing golf. Some of the safest COVID-19 activities you could engage in besides watching the plants grow in your own living room (alone), were opening your mail, pumping gas, getting takeout, and going camping.
We haven’t listed everything here, but you get the general idea. Of course, there is some room for bias and disagreement, but it provides an interesting chart to ponder. Inside spaces and plain old busy places with lots of commonly touched surfaces can be some places where you are most liable to catch the coronavirus. In some countries, family gatherings and backyard parties are also being seen as super-spreading events. Play it safe and use your judgement. By now it’s impossible to say someone didn’t warn ya.
For the complete list of activities, click here.
photo credits: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com
