36 Activities Ranked WRT COVID-19 Risk

[Midpack]

No big surprises that I note, ranked from most to least risky. Golf fares pretty well, but tennis is safer.

https://www.mlive.com/public-intere...-36-activities-by-coronavirus-risk-level.html

 

[Red Badger]

Good to know!

Planning 2-3 road trips (one ~14 days) with hotel stays, eating take-away, and some outdoor dining.

 

[Rianne]

DH is golfing these days. He takes his own cart and physically distances himself from other golfers. So, it sounds pretty safe.

 

[Sunset]

I think a pontoon boat ride is as safe as any other little boat ride, which is probably safer than walking in my neighborhood.

When out in a boat with family, I'm at least 100 to a few thousand feet from any other boat.

Now if it's a party boat gathering as done in MO Ozarks then it's really a party and the boats are not the problem.

 

[samm]

Thanks for sharing helpful list.

Living in Vegas it seems that everything that makes the city interesting is now dangerous.

 

[rodi]

I realize the list is generalizations. But as someone who walks, solo, with a mask, on the beach on many mornings... how is the location of beach (#5 on the list) more risky than a walk with friends (#2). I'm assuming my risk is lower than #2 since I am wearing a mask, maintaining way more than social distance, etc.

(And yes - I've been mocked by friends for my mask wearing at the beach but it is easier to put it on and keep it on - even when there is no-one within several hundred feet- than to have to be putting it on whenever I'm within about 20 feet of others. But I don't want to be the person that restricts access to the beach because not enough people are wearing masks.)

The public pool one is interesting too. I've been looking at resuming lap swimming if the YMCA or local pool can figure out a physical distance system (every other lane type thing). I would think the chlorine would help mitigate the virus spread.... far more than you'd get in a gym.

 

[Dtail]

Interesting list.
I would guess they mean singles play in tennis. I wonder where doubles play would qualify, since I play doubles pickleball.

 

[Amethyst]

I jog on the beach before sunrise, to avoid people with unleashed dogs who like to chase joggers. I don't wear a mask, because the only other person I meet is another lean old woman who walks the beach at that hour, also unmasked. We always have a little dance as to who is going to swerve up onto the beach or into the surf to avoid the other.

Anywhere we are likely to meet people, we mask up.

 

[ivinsfan]

I don't get tennis because you can't play it alone and have to share some of the equipment with another person. I'll try to refrain from comments about sweaty hairy balls....

World number one in tennis just tested positive for the virus

 

[Boose]

Living in Vegas it seems that everything that makes the city interesting is now dangerous.

@samm, I'm not a person who partakes of most of what Vegas offers, but I'm glad I went with my husband in late February. It was great fun looking at the neon, shopping at thrift stores and happening upon a soul music/soul food festival in Downtown. I feel for the predicament of your city right now - even DH, who visits several times per year, says he won't go back to the tables until there's a vaccine or very effective treatment.

 

[FIREd]

Since the end of the lockdown, I have done:

1. getting take out from a restaurant (curbside, without a mask or inside the restaurant, with a mask)
2. going for a walk (without a mask), getting fuel (without a mask)
3. getting groceries (curbside or in-store with a mask)
5. dinner party at home (<10 people, without a mask), backyard barbecue (without a mask)
6. barbershop (with a mask).

As far as I am concerned, the barbershop experience felt less risky than the dinner party.

 

[Sojourner]

I don't get tennis because you can't play it alone and have to share some of the equipment with another person. I'll try to refrain from comments about sweaty hairy balls....

World number one in tennis just tested positive for the virus

Yep, just read about Djokovic (and his wife) testing positive earlier this morning, along with several other top players who took part in an exhibition tournament in Serbia where there was apparently zero social distancing. In addition to the tournament itself, he and other players were spotted partying and dancing at a packed nightclub one evening. It's amazing that someone so accomplished (on track to becoming perhaps the greatest tennis player of all time) and health-conscious could be so impetuous and dismissive of basic public health guidelines.

 

[Aerides]

All activities can vary based on the duration of close-up exposure to people not in your home, in an enclosed space. So some of these can be quite variable.

"Beaches" as high risk seems silly, unless it means playing volleyball with 20 strangers and hanging out with them all day, it's probably based on the spring breakers. And I would never have wanted to do that before covid. I don't like it if I can hear someone else's conversation, and will plonk myself down far enough away from that any day.

 

[Midpack]

I realize the list is generalizations. But as someone who walks, solo, with a mask, on the beach on many mornings... how is the location of beach (#5 on the list) more risky than a walk with friends (#2). I'm assuming my risk is lower than #2 since I am wearing a mask, maintaining way more than social distance, etc.

(And yes - I've been mocked by friends for my mask wearing at the beach but it is easier to put it on and keep it on - even when there is no-one within several hundred feet- than to have to be putting it on whenever I'm within about 20 feet of others. But I don't want to be the person that restricts access to the beach because not enough people are wearing masks.)

The public pool one is interesting too. I've been looking at resuming lap swimming if the YMCA or local pool can figure out a physical distance system (every other lane type thing). I would think the chlorine would help mitigate the virus spread.... far more than you'd get in a gym.

I’m sure “beaches” is people sunning, swimming and hanging out, not solo walkers. Walkers are covered in 2. - everywhere.

From what I’ve read “there’s no evidence that the coronavirus spreads through water in pools (or hot tubs, spas, or water play areas), per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so pools are safe with distancing on land, outdoor pools are safer than indoor. I doubt you need lane spacing.

 

[Sojourner]

So, apparently, a dentist appointment is riskier than a visit to the grocery store. I suppose that's because of the prolonged, close contact with the dentist or hygienest? But is it 20% riskier, or just 3%? Thinking about it casually, I would have thought an appointment at a (good) dentist office would be quite low-risk, since everyone would be following strict protocols, such as high-quality masks worn properly, sterilized equipment, face guards, etc., not to mention temperature checks for all patients and staff.

I've got a routine cleaning scheduled for July, so I'll need to better understand and get comfortable with the risks before I go ahead with it.

 

[Dtail]

Yep, just read about Djokovic (and his wife) testing positive earlier this morning, along with several other top players who took part in an exhibition tournament in Serbia where there was apparently zero social distancing. In addition to the tournament itself, he and other players were spotted partying and dancing at a packed nightclub one evening. It's amazing that someone so accomplished (on track to becoming perhaps the greatest tennis player of all time) and health-conscious could be so impetuous and dismissive of basic public health guidelines.

He is an anti vaxxer and his wife was already censured on social media........

 

[CRLLS]

From an article I read a couple months ago, the Dental Hygienist is the riskiest profession. Riskier than Drs and Nurses and even Dentists. DIL is a dental hygienist and decided to not go back yet even though the office has opened. I can't say that I blame her.

 

[geeky_grrl]

So, apparently, a dentist appointment is riskier than a visit to the grocery store. I suppose that's because of the prolonged, close contact with the dentist or hygienest? But is it 20% riskier, or just 3%? Thinking about it casually, I would have thought an appointment at a (good) dentist office would be quite low-risk, since everyone would be following strict protocols, such as high-quality masks worn properly, sterilized equipment, face guards, etc., not to mention temperature checks for all patients and staff.

I've got a routine cleaning scheduled for July, so I'll need to better understand and get comfortable with the risks before I go ahead with it.

From what I've read, the big risk in dentists offices are aerosolized virus particles. Drills and ultrasonic cleaners both can spray a lot in the air. Since people appear to be able to spread the virus before they have any symptoms the temperature check doesn't guarantee the person isn't contagious. LA Times had an interesting article on dentists offices and the safety procedures. https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-06-04/coronavirus-changes-dentist-appointments

I know my dentist office has done a lot to mitigate the risks - besides temperature checks they've installed new air filtration, closed the waiting rooms, etc., but I'll probably hold off on my regular cleaning for a few more months.

 

[audreyh1]

Yep, just read about Djokovic (and his wife) testing positive earlier this morning, along with several other top players who took part in an exhibition tournament in Serbia where there was apparently zero social distancing. In addition to the tournament itself, he and other players were spotted partying and dancing at a packed nightclub one evening. It's amazing that someone so accomplished (on track to becoming perhaps the greatest tennis player of all time) and health-conscious could be so impetuous and dismissive of basic public health guidelines.

Did they go there because the local COVID-19 numbers were low? They invited tennis players worldwide to join the tour. Doesn’t sound like arriving pros quarantined themselves. Plus they engage in a super spread class activities. And they didn’t expect spread of infection? It just goes to show that many people refuse to take the situation seriously.

 

[audreyh1]

From what I've read, the big risk in dentists offices are aerosolized virus particles. Drills and ultrasonic cleaners both can spray a lot in the air. Since people appear to be able to spread the virus before they have any symptoms the temperature check doesn't guarantee the person isn't contagious. LA Times had an interesting article on dentists offices and the safety procedures. https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-06-04/coronavirus-changes-dentist-appointments

I know my dentist office has done a lot to mitigate the risks - besides temperature checks they've installed new air filtration, closed the waiting rooms, etc., but I'll probably hold off on my regular cleaning for a few more months.

Sounds like the risk is mainly to the dentist and staff, and low for the patient assuming the staff is using PPE. Unless you enter the room shortly after it was used by another patient and aerosols persisting the air.

 

[zinger1457]

I would place the risk level of grocery shopping much higher than a 3, at least in my area. Impossible to social distance along any aisle, half the people not wearing a mask, people putting their hands over everything.

 

[Midpack]

I would place the risk level of grocery shopping much higher than a 3, at least in my area. Impossible to social distance along any aisle, half the people not wearing a mask, people putting their hands over everything.

We haven't found it hard to maintain distance in any of the grocery stores around us, and we wear masks whenever we're at any public indoor place. When confronted with someone standing where we want to be, we just wait - more often than not they're apologetic and move along as soon as they're done.

People putting their hands all over everything doesn't concern me because surface contact is a far lower transmission risk than sharing air with a stranger. And we douse with hand sanitizer as soon as we leave any store so I doubt we'd get infected by touching anything.

 

[audreyh1]

A key strategy of course is to try to hit the grocery stores when they are the least crowded.

I agree that I am much less concerned with contracting COVID-19 from surfaces even though I always wear gloves, wipe down cart handles, etc. It’s being stuck indoors for a while with lots of folks that concerns me most, especially when they take no precautions to protect other people.

 

[braumeister]

I would place the risk level of grocery shopping much higher than a 3, at least in my area. Impossible to social distance along any aisle, half the people not wearing a mask, people putting their hands over everything.

I'm back to grocery shopping at least once, usually twice a week now. But I only go first thing in the morning so there is plenty of room for social distancing. I always wear a mask when I go into any building, even though I'm usually in the minority there (although the Kroger employees are good about it). I don't worry about what I touch, since the store is only a mile away and I can wash my hands thoroughly as soon as I get home. My county is still pretty low on the infection scale (250 cases per 100,000) so I feel very safe in my shopping.

 

[jollystomper]

I do not get why golf is riskier than tennis. You can play golf by yourself and not be anywhere near anyone else. If you walk the course you can easily social distance (particularly the way my golf shots go ). Where I am a member I, if I do not have to use the restroom I do not even have to go inside, I just wave to them from the outside and they tell me anything I need to know. Of course, most see golf more as a social time, but I see it as an exercise and skill (HA!) time.