FAQs

Social Life

We all want to get out and see our friends and family. But if COVID infections are spreading in your community, then the more people you have contact with, the higher your risk. To decrease that risk, you can use COVID tools — vaccination, masks, distancing, and ventilation.

If you're planning to go to a social event and want to know if it might put you at risk of catching COVID, take the COVID Risk Quiz.

Does the size of the gathering I'm going to make a difference?

Yes. The more people you’re with, the more likely it is that one of them might have COVID. That’s especially true if there’s a lot of COVID going around your community. If few people have COVID in your area, then group size doesn’t matter as much.

Is it safe to go to a dinner party or other small, private gathering?

These questions will help you figure out how risky a large, private gathering in your area might be:

	Riskier	Less Risky
Is there a lot of COVID going around?	Yes	No
Will the event be crowded?	Yes	No
Will it be indoors?	Yes	No
If so, does the space get lots of fresh air, or is the air filtered or cleaned?	No	Yes
Will people be eating and drinking at the event?	Yes	No
How long will the event last?	Longer	Shorter
Will most of the people at the event be vaccinated?	No	Yes
Will the guests test just before coming to the event?	No	Yes

If the gathering is more risky, you can reduce your risk by:

Being up to date on vaccines.
Wearing a high-quality, well-fitted mask.
Spending less time at the event.
Standing or sitting farther away from other people at the event.
Not eating or drinking at the event.
Asking the host to consider moving the event outdoors or improving the airflow in the space.
Asking the host to consider having the guests test just before coming to the event. For the best accuracy with rapid tests, guests would test two days before the event, as well.

If you feel that the event is too risky, it’s always okay to decide not to go. Don’t attend if:

You’re sick with COVID symptoms.
You've tested positive and haven’t ended your isolation.
You’re still waiting for results from a COVID test.

Is it safe to go to a wedding or other large, private gathering?

These questions will help you figure out how risky a large, private gathering in your area might be:

	Riskier	Less Risky
Is there a lot of COVID going around?	Yes	No
Will the event be crowded?	Yes	No
Will it be indoors?	Yes	No
If so, does the space get lots of fresh air, or is the air filtered or cleaned?	No	Yes
Will people be eating and drinking at the event?	Yes	No
How long will the event last?	Longer	Shorter
Will most of the people at the event be vaccinated?	No	Yes
Will there be activities that require proof of vaccination?	No	Yes
Will the guests test just before coming to the event?	No	Yes

If the gathering is more risky, you can reduce your risk by:

Being up to date on vaccines.
Wearing a high-quality, well-fitted mask.
Spending less time at the event.
Standing or sitting farther away from other people at the event.
Not eating or drinking at the event.
Staying out of crowds at the event as much as you can.
If there are indoor and outdoor activities, only going to the outdoor ones.
If some activities require proof of vaccination and others don’t, only going to the ones that require vaccination.

If you feel that the event is too risky, it’s always okay to decide not to go. Don’t attend if:

You’re sick with COVID symptoms.
You've tested positive and haven’t ended your isolation.
You’re still waiting for results from a COVID test.

Is it safe to eat in a restaurant?

These questions will help you figure out how risky eating in a restaurant might be in your area:

	Riskier	Less Risky
Is there a lot of COVID going around?	Yes	No
Is the restaurant usually crowded?	Yes	No
Can you eat outside?	No	Yes
If you have to eat indoors, does the space get lots of fresh air, or is the air filtered or cleaned?	No	Yes
Does the restaurant require proof of vaccination?	No	Yes

If your answers show that eating out is more risky, you can reduce your risk by:

Being up to date on vaccines.
Wearing a high-quality, well-fitted mask except when you're actively eating or drinking.
Spending less time at the restaurant.
Standing or sitting farther away from people at other tables.
Eating outdoors if possible.

If you feel that going to a restaurant is too risky, it’s always okay to decide not to go. Don’t go out if:

You’re sick with COVID symptoms.
You've tested positive and haven’t ended your isolation.
You’re still waiting for results from a COVID test.

Is it safe to go to a concert, sporting event, or other large, public event?

These questions will help you figure out how risky a large public event in your area might be:

	Riskier	Less Risky
Is there a lot of COVID going around?	Yes	No
Will the event be crowded?	Yes	No
Will it be indoors?	Yes	No
If so, does the space get lots of fresh air, or is the air filtered or cleaned?	No	Yes
Will people be eating or drinking at the event?	Yes	No
How long will the event last?	Longer	Shorter
Does the event require proof of vaccination?	No	Yes
Will most people at the event be masked?	No	Yes

If the event is more risky, you can reduce your risk by:

Being up to date on vaccines.
Wearing a high-quality, well-fitted mask.
Spending less time at the event.
Standing or sitting farther away from other people at the event.
Not eating or drinking at the event.
Staying out of crowds at the event as much as you can.
If there are indoor and outdoor activities at the event, only going to the outdoor ones.
If some activities require proof of vaccination and others don’t, only going to the parts that require vaccination.

If you feel that the event is too risky, it’s always okay to decide not to go. Don’t attend if:

You’re sick with COVID symptoms.
You've tested positive and haven’t ended your isolation.
You’re still waiting for results from a COVID test.

Is it safe to visit a high-risk friend or relative, such as a grandparent?

These questions will help you figure out how risky visiting a high-risk friend or relative might be in your area:

	Riskier	Less Risky
Is there a lot of COVID going around?	Yes	No
Is the person you're visiting up to date on their vaccinations?	No	Yes
Are you up to date on your vaccinations?	No	Yes
Will you be meeting indoors or outdoors?	Indoors	Outdoors
If indoors, does the space get lots of fresh air, or is the air filtered or cleaned?	No	Yes
Will there be eating or drinking during the visit?	Yes	No
Will you get tested just before the visit?	No	Yes

If the visit is more risky, you can decrease your risk by:

Being up to date on vaccines.
Wearing a high-quality, well-fitted mask.
Spending less time at the visit.
Standing or sitting farther away from one another.
Not eating or drinking during the visit.
Spending more time outdoors during the visit.
Bringing more fresh air into the room or using a high-quality air cleaner.
Testing right before you visit. For the best accuracy with rapid tests, guests would test two days before the event, as well.

If you feel that the event is too risky, it’s always okay to decide not to go. Don’t attend if:

You have COVID symptoms.
You've tested positive and haven’t ended your isolation.
You've ended your isolation but are between Day 5 and Day 10 after testing positive.
You’re still waiting for results from a COVID test.

I want to invite friends over. How can I make my home more COVID-safe for gatherings?

The more clean, fresh air there is in your house, the safer it will be for you and your guests. Keeping indoor air clean helps keep people from getting all kinds of infections that move through the air, not just COVID. (Learn more about ventilation here.)

If the air outside is clean, open the windows at least an hour before your guests arrive.
Fresh air won't flow in just because a window is open. Put fans safely and securely in the windows, blowing out. If possible, open doors and/or windows across the space to get cross-ventilation.
If your home has an HVAC system, make sure the air-change rate is at least four. Six is even better. Use high-quality filters in your system (MERV 9 is good; MERV 13 is great).
Use HEPA filters to clean the air, and make sure they're the right size for your space.

You can use the CDC's Interactive Home Ventilation Tool to see how much cleaner your home's air will be when you use these tools.

What should I do if I get sick after going to a gathering?

Whenever you get COVID symptoms, you should get tested and stay away from others until you get the result. Each time you use a rapid test, report your result — whether you test positive or negative.

If you test positive on a rapid test

You’re almost certainly contagious. Talk to the host and let them know what happened.
If you were in close contact with anyone at the event, they need to know what happened, too.
You'll need to isolate and may want to consider treatment. Learn more about testing positive.

If you test negative on a rapid test

Your result might not be right. After you’ve been exposed to COVID, it takes a few days for enough virus to grow in your body that you test positive.
To be safer, test again at least 48 hours later and weara mask around others until then. Make sure to follow all of the instructions that come with the test.
You can also get a lab test to confirm your result.

What should I do if I went to an event and someone there tested positive afterwards?

Were you exposed to that person?

Yes: You'll need to wear a mask around others for a while. You'll also need to get tested once 5 days have passed since your close contact. Learn more about what do if you're exposed.

No: These questions can help you figure out your risk level. If the answers show that you have a lot of risk, consider getting tested once 5 days have passed since the event.

	Riskier	Less Risky
Are you up to date on your vaccinations?	No	Yes
Did you wear a high-quality, well-fitted mask at the event?	No	Yes
Was the event crowded?	Yes	No
Was the event indoors?	Yes	No
If indoors, how big was the space?	Larger	Smaller
If indoors, was there plenty of fresh air, or was the air filtered or cleaned?	No	Yes
How long was the event?	Longer	Shorter