Work

Througout this site, we talk about the "COVID weather" — the amount of COVID going around your area. If a lot of people have COVID in the area where you work, going to work is riskier. These questions will help you figure out how risky that region is.

According to OSHA, if there’s a lot of COVID going around the area where you work, the level of COVID risk your type of job has depends on three factors:

• Whether you have to work with people who have COVID.

• How close you have to be to other people, and for how long.

• How much fresh air there is where you work.

Very high risk

These are jobs that require interaction with people who have COVID. They are mostly health-care jobs.

High risk

These kinds of jobs require lots of contact with coworkers or the public over a long period of time. They also take place indoors, in areas without much fresh air. Examples are:

• Jobs in restaurants, especially small ones.

• Jobs in bars.

• Jobs in some retail stores.

Medium risk

These jobs require close contact with coworkers or the public, but they happen in places with lots of fresh air. Examples are:

• Construction

• Agriculture

• Some retail stores

• Some grocery stores

• Some offices

Low risk

These jobs do not require contact with others. They are typically office jobs that can be done from home.

This tool from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health can give you an answer to that question. You'll need a portable CO2 monitor and some information about your workplace's ventilation system. (Ask your building or facilities manager.)

This tool from MIT can give you an estimate of how long it's COVID-safe to be in a space, based on how many people are in it and what they're doing. You can look at one of the standard spaces they provide, or you can customize the size of the space and the type of ventilation system.

These COVID tools will help you reduce your risk while you're at work:

• Keeping up to date with vaccines.

• Wearing a high-quality, well-fitted mask that fits well and is comfortable to wear all day.

• If possible, increasing the amount of fresh, clean air in the area where you work.

• If possible, spending less time indoors or in crowds of people.

• Keeping some rapid tests at home in case you get sick or are in contact with someone who’s infected.

• Talking to your employer about safeguards your workplace has in place.

Each time you use a rapid test, report the result — whether you test positive or negative.

If there’s a lot of COVID going around the area you travel through to work, using these COVID tools will help keep you safer.

• Keeping up to date with vaccines.

• Wearing high-quality masks that fit well.

• Walking or cycling instead of taking buses, trains, or other public transportation.

• On buses, sitting in open-air sections, if available.

• On buses and trains, sitting farther away from other people, if possible.

• Avoiding crowded areas when possible.

If you have COVID symptoms, you should isolate and get tested before you go to work or are around other people. If you have to be around other people, wear a mask until you get your result.

Each time you use a rapid test, report the result — whether you test positive or negative.

If you test positive

• You should isolate and consider treatment.

If you test negative on a rapid test

• That’s good news, but your condition might change. 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 wear a 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.

If you don't have any COVID symptoms, you don't have to stay home unless your workplace requires it.

You'll need to get tested 5 days after your contact, and you'll need to wear a mask around others for a while. Learn more about what to do when you've been exposed.

Each time you use a rapid test, report the result — whether you test positive or negative.