According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 57% of the US population has been fully vaccinated against COVID. As time progresses and the virus changes, so do the chances of getting sick. Although it depends on the number of cases registered in each locality, these are five places with the highest risk of contagion at this time of the pandemic.
Small meetings
Parties, celebrations and meetings with few guests can become a source of infection, perhaps because affection and familiarity consciously or unconsciously drive us to remove our masks and have a closer physical relationship. The CDC recommends preferring outdoor gatherings, even if they are small, and being careful about prevention measures spending time together indoors, particularly in places with a high number of infections.
Bars and restaurants
Practically since the pandemic began, it has been known that closed places with an influx of people represent a greater risk. The same director of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, admitted that there are higher cases and deaths “when you dine at a restaurant in person.” The risk of contracting COVID when eating indoors depends on vaccination rates and transmission rates where you live, but if you want to eat in an establishment it is best to look for an option outdoors or to sit next to doors and windows open.
Crowds, even outdoors
The more people attend a place, the more likely it is to be contagious, even outdoors. Being outdoors is not a guarantee that you will not get sick, even less if you are surrounded by people whose vaccination status you do not know and with whom it is difficult to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet. That is why some music and cultural festivals request the vaccination certificate or a recent negative COVID test to enter the event.
Public transport
The means of transport are closed environments, sometimes with little ventilation, where people can spend long periods of time. For this reason, the mandate to wear masks in transport may still be mandatory, particularly when it is difficult to maintain social distance in the interior and in communities with high transmission rates.
Schools that do not require masks
A CDC study published in September revealed that in schools where the use of masks is not mandatory, pediatric COVID-19 cases increased nearly twice as fast in the same investigation period.
Read more:
+ COVID: Why face masks are necessary outdoors, especially when there is wind
+ A vaccine against 5 different coronaviruses: How it works
+ “The worst flu of my life”: Why many people are catching colds like never before in the world
+ Halloween and COVID: 5 tips for children to celebrate with minimal risk
eldiariony.com
Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.