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37 Routine Activities Ranked by Risk of COVID-19 Infection

July 07, 2020

COVID-19 has redefined risky behavior. So how do we know what's more risky: getting a haircut, eating inside a restaurant, traveling by plane or shaking someone's hand? Trick question. They're equally risky to our health, according to a new risk-assessment chart produced by the Texas Medical Association COVID-19 Task Force and Committee on Infectious Diseases. The chart ranks activities by risk level, from opening the mail (low) to going to the beach (moderate) to attending a large music concert (high). The first four activities mentioned above are each rated moderate-high risk, a 7 on a scale of 10. Physician members of the task force and committee established the levels, with the assumption that people are taking as many necessary safety precautions as possible, no matter the activity. Here's the complete list, from lowest to highest risk: Low Risk: 1 Opening the mail Low Risk: 2 Getting restaurant takeout Pumping gasoline Playing tennis Going camping Low-Moderate Risk: 3 Grocery shopping Going for a walk, run, or bike ride with others Playing golf Low-Moderate Risk: 4 Staying at a hotel for two nights Sitting in a doctor’s waiting room Going to a library or museum Eating in a restaurant (outside) Walking in a busy downtown Spending an hour at a playground Moderate Risk: 5 Having dinner at someone else’s house Attending a backyard barbecue Going to a beach Shopping at a mall Moderate Risk: 6 Sending kids to school, camp, or day care Working a week in an office building Swimming in a public pool Visiting an elderly relative or friend in their home Moderate-High Risk: 7 Going to a hair salon or barbershop Eating in a restaurant (inside) Attending a wedding or funeral Traveling by plane Playing basketball Playing football Hugging or shaking hands when greeting a friend High Risk: 8 Eating at a buffet Working out at a gym Going to an amusement park Going to a movie theater High Risk: 9 Attending a large music concert Going to a sports stadium Attending a religious service with 500-plus worshipers Going to a bar For a more colorful, printable, version of the risk-assessment chart, click here. Not feeling well? Call your healthcare provider for guidance and try to avoid going directly to an emergency department or urgent care center, as this could increase the chances of the disease spreading. Click here to schedule a virtual visit with a Hartford HealthCare-GoHealth Urgent care doctor. Stay with Hartford HealthCare for everything you need to know about the coronavirus threat. Click here for information updated daily. Questions? Call our 24-hour hotline (860.972.8100 or, toll-free, 833.621.0600).  Get text alerts by texting 31996 with COVID19 in the message field.