COVID-19 Transmission Most Likely in These Five Places

With the U.S. cases of COVID-19 surging skyward, experts warn 80% of the virus is lurking in 5 key places.

CNN's chief medical expert Dr. Sanjay Gupta says stay-at-home orders, like the ones being implemented in Los Angeles, will not be necessary if Americans avoid these hotspots, and when we do visit, wear masks and observe social distancing.

1. Restaurants

According to Yahoo!, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said "adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results were approximately twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than those with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results. According to Best Life, a study by Japanese researchers found diners were more likely to contract the virus from a person sitting next to them, than from someone sitting across the table. According to Business Insider, the CDC recommends dine-in customers stay at least 6 feet apart and keep their dining parties small. Ideally, people who dine at the same table should be members of the same household, because they are exposed to each other every day. The agency also recommends employees were masks.

2. Bars

Experts say bars are particularly risky because alcohol can lower your inhibitions and encourage you to throw caution to the wind. "People go to bars to drink and socialize," epidemiologist Dr. Durland Fish, at the Yale School of Public Health, told Healthline. "But it is probably the worst thing you can do during the COVID-19 pandemic." He added bars are also noisy and "everyone has to shout at close range to communicate, spewing virus particles."

3. Hotels

The CDC says "travel increases your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19," and ranks hotels as "very risky." To make sure your overnight stay is as safe as possible, the CDC recommends making sure the hotel has a mask mandate, promotes social distancing, and is using contactless reservations, check-in, and payment. Healthcare experts advise avoiding hotel hangouts such as breakfast buffets, fitness centers and spas, and refrain from touching elevator buttons or door handles.

4. Cafes

People tend to spend lots of time at cafes, with their cups of Joe and laptops, increasing the probable transmission rate of viruses. The CDC puts these establishments on the same risk level as bars and found 8.5% of people who tested positive for COVID-19 frequented these locations.

5. Houses of worship

While millions of Americans embrace worship as an essential part of their lives, a recent CDC study found 7.8% of people who tested positive for the virus had been in a house of worship. The agency offers these guidelines to ensure Americans can practice their faith safely during the pandemic.