Medical group's chart ranks activities based on COVID-19 risk. Bars are highest risk, pumping gas is lowest

A group of medical experts and leaders have assigned coronavirus risk levels to various activities.

The Texas Medical Association told FOX 35 that a task force of about 14 physicians who are experts and leaders in medicine have determined the risk level of various activities, ranked from 1 through 10.

The task force broke down the following activities into the following groups:

LOW-RISK ACTIVITIES (1-2):

  • Opening the mail
  • Getting restaurant takeout
  • Pumping gasoline
  • Playing tennis
  • Going camping

LOW-MODERATE RISK (3-4):

  • Grocery shopping
  • Going for walk, run, or bike ride with others
  • Playing golf
  • Staying at a hotel for two nights
  • Sitting in a doctor's waiting room
  • Going to a library or museum
  • Eating in a restaurant (outside)
  • Walking in a busy downtown
  • Spending an hour at a playground 

MODERATE RISK (5-6):

  • Having dinner at someone else's house
  • Attending a backyard barbecue
  • Going to a beach
  • Shopping at a mall
  • Sending kids to school, camp, or daycare
  • Working a week in an office building
  • Swimming in a public pool
  • Visiting an elderly relative or friend in their home

MODERATE-HIGH (7):

  • Going to a hair salon or barbershop
  • Eating in a restaurant (inside)
  • Attending a wedding or funeral
  • Traveling by plane
  • Playing basketball
  • Playing football
  • Hugging or shaking hands when greeting a friend

HIGH-RISK (8-9):

  • Eating at a buffet
  • Working out at a gym
  • Going to an amusement park
  • Going to a movie theater 
  • Attending a large music concert
  • Going to a sports stadium
  • Attending a religious service with 500+ worshippers 
  • Going to a bar

Michigan is currently in phase 4 of the state's plan to re-engage the economy and has allowed some slow reopening of retail, restaurants, and bars. However, cases over the past few weeks have turned and started to increase, causing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to delay advancing the rest of the state to Phase 5, which would open up even more options for the state.

On Thursday, the governor said the best thing Michigan can do to protect ourselves and each other is to wear a mask.

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"Right now the law requires that anyone in an enclosed space requires you wear a mask," Whitmer said, saying that one in five COVID-19 cases are people between the age of 25 and 34. "Youth will not protect you from carrying and spreading this virus to your friends and neighbors."

The governor said her office is looking into ways to enhance and strengthen the executive order that requires masks in public but made no announcements about it on Thursday.

When asked if she would impose fines or criminal charges on people for not complying, she said she doesn't want to take that step.

"The last thing I want to do is dole out lots of penalties. We're trying to get people to do the right things for the right reasons," she said. "Without a cure or a vaccine, a mask is the safest way to protect yourself from the spread of COVID-19."