After the end of the coronavirus-related lockdown in June, the majority of the businesses have reopened and the vast majority of the people have started going out more often than before even though the risk of contracting the infection still remains very high. Although a person can catch the virus from any public space, some places have a higher risk of transmission such as bars.
In fact, the results of a survey conducted by CivicMeter, which is a nonprofit organization based on journalism, show that bars may be one of the top two places with the highest levels of coronavirus transmission along with prisons and jails.
Though jails and bars are very different places, the common factor between them is closeted space with a large number of people. Congested spaces with big crowds are more likely to have coronavirus spread than others primarily because following preventive measures is difficult in such places.
Prior to the reopening of bars and other similar businesses, the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had already released a set of guidelines for the businesses to minimize the risk of spread as well as for the people who plan on going outdoors to any public spaces.
However, the health agency has recommended that going out should still be avoided unless if it is for buying essential items or there is an emergency as the pandemic is far from over and the risk of contracting the virus is still very high.
Even if most places implement measures for lowering the risk of coronavirus spread, it cannot be completely eradicated. In addition, it should also be noted that if many people do not follow instructions, it automatically puts others at the risk of catching the infection even if the public place they are in has taken steps for safety against coronavirus.
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Currently, the changing trends in the coronavirus pandemic and virus spread show that more and more younger people are contracting the virus and even transmitting it further. The main reason for this, as explained by experts, is that young adults are more likely to travel and go to outdoor spaces rather than older adults.
In bars, it is also mostly younger people who visit every other day rather than people from older age groups. Not only are many young people going to clubs and bars regularly and but are not following guidelines properly.
While many may enter a bar while wearing a mask, they have to remove it while drinking. Secondly, people also tend to socialize and gather in large groups while drinking which then paves the way for easy coronavirus transmission from one person to another.
Hence, following guidelines and maintaining social distance while wearing a mask in places such as bars is difficult. Secondly, since nearly all bars are indoors, the risk of airborne transmission of the coronavirus is also likely to happen.
The CDC recommends that people consider certain factors and potential risks before making plans of going to a bar or any other place. For example, bars in places with a high number of infections should be avoided or any plans should be delayed if a person has underlying conditions and is at a higher risk of the infection.