Texas Medical Association releases chart ranking activities based on COVID-19 risk

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Medical Association released a chart that ranks activities based on their risk levels for COVID-19.

TMA president Dr. Dianna Fite says the people testing positive recently are younger and healthier, but the number has dramatically increased since March.

"There's a definite surge. There's no question we have about four times the amount of patients coming in the hospital and in the last few weeks, as opposed to weeks before that," said Dr. Fite.

That's why the Texas Medical Association created a chart ranking daily activities from a 1 to 10 showing which ones put a person at risk for catching the virus and are based on the assumption that people engaging in the activity are social distancing, wearing masks, and practicing other safety precautions.

"They considered if the activity was on the inside of a small area or way on the outside where the virus can dissipate much easier up into the air. Was the activity something that everybody's close together? or could people easily be distant? was the activity something that's going to last a long time or just a short period of time?" she said.

With this list, doctors say checking your mail is the least risky thing you can do to contract COVID-19, and going to the bar is the most risky.

"You assume that they don't have their mask on most of the time because they're drinking or even eating. You also assume that people are talking loudly. They might be singing, they're shouting, things like that. That's going to spray those aerosols even further so it makes the bar become a much much riskier area as opposed to obviously going out and getting the mail," said Dr. Fite.

Activities such as going for a walk or eating outside at a restaurant are ranked pretty low on this list. Things like traveling on a plane, working out at a gym, going to the movies, and attending a concert progressively move up on the high-risk level.

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"As physicians, we think the safest thing is to not be in large crowds to stay at home when they can. We obviously discourage the more risky activities and are fine with the very low-risk activities," said Dr. Fite.

Dr. Fite emphasized that now more than ever people need to social distance and put a mask on. "If everybody would we get this and calm down and, again, if we can just get a vaccination and a treatment, we'll be in good shape, but we don't know when that's going to happen," she said.

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