Activities under Lockdown
A recent article from My Broadband detailed the risks of getting COVID-19 from different activities and I thought I would share it with you.
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) has released a list which ranks activities on a scale of 1 to 10, reflecting how risky they are in terms of exposure to COVID-19 infection. This list is based on the feedback of physicians from the TMA COVID-19 Task Force and the committee on infectious diseases. Over the past few months, a lot of knowledge was gained about the coronavirus and what people can do to prevent the spread of the disease.
The World Health Organisation and the South African Department of Health have released guidelines to reduce your chances of being infected or spreading COVID-19.
- Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- Maintain at least 1-metre distance between yourself and others.
- Wear a mask which covers your nose and mouth.
- Avoid going to crowded places.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Activities ranked based on COVID-19 risk
The TMA’s list, which ranks activities based on COVID-19 risk, corresponds with similar lists released by Reuters and The Washington Post. The table below provides an overview of these three sources on the risk which activities pose in terms of COVID-19 exposure. The higher the Risk Rating (from 1 to 10), the higher the chance is that you will get COVID-19 when engaging in this activity. The table also shows whether these activities are currently allowed in South Africa under the latest alert level 3 lockdown regulations.
| COVID-19 Risk | |||
| Activity | Risk Rating | Risk | Regulations |
| Opening the mail | 1 | Low risk | Allowed |
| Getting a restaurant takeout | 2 | Low risk | Allowed |
| Playing tennis | 2 | Low risk | Allowed |
| Go camping | 2 | Low risk | Not Allowed |
| Grocery shopping | 3 | Moderate-low risk | Allowed |
| Going for a walk, run or cycle with others | 3 | Moderate-low risk | Allowed |
| Playing golf | 3 | Moderate-low risk | Allowed |
| Staying at a hotel for 2 nights | 4 | Moderate-low risk | Allowed for business only |
| Sitting at a doctor’s waiting room | 4 | Moderate-low risk | Allowed |
| Going to a library or museum | 4 | Moderate-low risk | Allowed |
| Eating at a restaurant (outside) | 4 | Moderate-low risk | Allowed |
| Walking in a busy street | 4 | Moderate-low risk | Allowed |
| Spending an hour at a playground | 4 | Moderate-low risk | Not Allowed |
| Having dinner at someone else’s house | 5 | Moderate risk | Not Allowed |
| Attending a braai | 5 | Moderate risk | Not Allowed |
| Going to the beach | 5 | Moderate risk | Not Allowed |
| Shopping at a mall | 5 | Moderate risk | Allowed |
| Sending kids to school or day care | 6 | Moderate risk | Allowed for certain grades |
| Working a week in an office building | 6 | Moderate risk | Allowed |
| Swimming in a public pool | 6 | Moderate risk | Not Allowed |
| Visiting an elderly person at their home | 6 | Moderate risk | Not Allowed |
| Going to a hair salon | 7 | Moderate-high risk | Allowed |
| Eating at a restaurant (inside) | 7 | Moderate-high risk | Allowed |
| Attending a wedding or funeral | 7 | Moderate-high risk | Allowed |
| Travel by plane | 7 | Moderate-high risk | Allowed for business only |
| Playing football or basketball | 7 | Moderate-high risk | Allowed |
| Hugging or shaking hands when greeting | 7 | Moderate-high risk | Discouraged |
| Eating at a buffet | 8 | High risk | Not Allowed |
| Working out at a gym | 8 | High risk | Not Allowed |
| Going to an amusement park | 8 | High risk | Not Allowed |
| Going to a movie theatre | 8 | High risk | Not Allowed |
| Taking public transport | 8 | High risk | Allowed |
| Attending a large music concert | 9 | High risk | Not Allowed |
| Going to a sports stadium | 9 | High risk | Not Allowed |
| Going to religious gathering with 500+ people | 9 | High risk | Not Allowed |
| Going to a bar | 9 | High risk | Not Allowed |
Stay safe.
