Just remember the “three C’s.” An early release of a new study of coronavirus clusters in Japan—scheduled for publication in the CDC’s journal Emerging Infectious Diseases in September—introduces a simple way of assessing the risk of infection in any situation. All you have to do is keep in mind and then avoid the “three C’s”: closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places, and close-contact settings.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. If you’ve been paying attention to other recent studies on how coronavirus spreads, this may not be new information for you. We know the risks of poorly ventilated spaces that are full of other people. We also know the importance of social distancing, which can be impossible in certain “close-contact settings.” At the same time, the “three C’s” trick is one of the most straightforward and easy-to-remember ways to weigh the potential danger of any outing amid the pandemic. You can apply the trick to various activities, and you’ll find that it rules out the same risky activities experts say you should avoid. Bars and concerts, for example, are closed, crowded, and close-contact. On the other hand, taking a socially distanced walk with friends or having a picnic in the park don’t match the criteria of the “three C’s”: These activities have open air, fewer people in your immediate vicinity, and the ability to maintain social distancing. And remember: Just because the “three C’s” don’t apply to a specific situation, that doesn’t mean that it’s entirely risk-free. Unfortunately, without effective treatment or a coronavirus vaccine, there is some level of danger to anything you do outside of your house. But if it’s a choice between playing tennis and going to an amusement park, you can use the CDC’s guidelines to make the safer choice—and greatly reduce your risk overall. And for another easy-to-remember trick to keep in mind, The CDC Has a Simple “Rule of Thumb” to Help You Avoid Coronavirus.
