Use this calculator to determine your risk of contracting COVID-19
As the Delta variant forces us to change strategies when dealing with COVID-19, more tools are available to give us a hand. Each state has its own policies and rate of infection, which also factor into the mix.
The Mayo Clinic has an interactive map that shows a rolling average of daily COVID cases for the past week across the U.S. It also has an option to look ahead for two weeks. Tap or click here for more information on this helpful tool.
Tracking the spread of the virus is one thing, but wouldn’t you also like to get an idea of how likely you are to get infected? A new online tool is aiming to do just that. Read on for more details.
Knowing the odds
The microCOVID Project uses your location, activity level, and acceptance of risk to give you an idea of how vulnerable you are to contracting COVID-19. The metric is measured in “microCOVIDs.” One microCOVID is a one-in-a-million chance of getting COVID. Each time you participate in an activity, such as grocery shopping or going on a date, your budget is affected.
For most healthy people who aren’t around vulnerable people such as the elderly or immunocompromised, the creators of the microCOVID Project suggest that an annual risk budget of a 1% chance of catching COVID is “reasonable.” This comes out to 10,000 microCOVIDs in a year.
According to the tool, “An activity that’s 20,000 microCOVIDs means that you have a 2% risk of getting COVID every time you do it. An activity that’s 20 microCOVIDs (or 0.002%) is relatively safe, as you could do it every week for a year and still have only accumulated about a 0.1% chance of getting COVID.”
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Using the tools
The microCOVID Project lets you build a scenario to figure out your weekly risk. First, enter your location by state and county. Now enter details of a scenario. You can choose from a list of premade scenarios that include a plane ride, outdoor party or eating at a restaurant. Alternatively, you can select a custom scenario.
Next, select your vaccine status, how many people are nearby, how long you are out for, the risk profile of those close to you and their vaccine status (of course, you may not know these latter two factors).
Now choose your precautions. Are you inside or outside? Are you masked or unmasked? Are the people around you wearing masks or not? How loud are they talking?
Fourth of July freebies you don't want to miss
Independence Day will feel extra special this year as COVID-19 restrictions have been loosened, and people are getting out of the house more often. Tap or click here for a map to track the COVID Delta variant in the U.S.