See The Risk Of Coronavirus Exposure Indoors In Polk County

POLK COUNTY, FL — As people prepare to celebrate over Christmas weekend and coronavirus cases and hospitalizations show no sign of slowing down in the U.S., officials are once again asking residents to stay within their own homes and many states have already imposed restrictions around the holidays.

Though the Florida Department of Health doesn't limit the number of people attending holiday gatherings, it does say that those who are sick shouldn't travel. It also said that older adults or persons with certain medical conditions who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, or live or work with someone at increased risk of severe illness, should avoid in-person gatherings with people who do not live in their household.

The state DOH suggests hosting an outdoor celebration rather than an indoor gathering. Also, guests who have traveled from other areas or towns should distance themselves from people who are 65 or older and people of any age who have underlying health issues such as lung or heart disease.

And hosts entertaining at home should make sure frequently touched surfaces are cleaned and disinfected before and after gathering, the DOH said. Guest should also wash their hands and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently.

For those planning on hosting a gathering or visiting others, a tool developed by researchers from several universities lets you see your risk of exposure to the virus at an indoor gathering. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also lists things people should consider if traveling or attending a gathering.

The tool shows the estimated chance — between 0 and 100 percent — that you'll encounter at least one person with the coronavirus at an event in your county. You can reduce the risk by wearing a mask, distancing and gathering outdoors in smaller groups, researchers said.

As of Thursday, if you were to attend an event with at least 15 people in Polk County, there's a 28 percent chance that someone in the group could expose you to the virus, according to the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Planning Tool. If your gathering has 10 people, that risk would be 20 percent.

Two Georgia Institute of Technology professors led the creation of the project, and their team included researchers from Stanford University and the Applied Bioinformatics Laboratory.

Amber Fisher contributed to this report.

Here are some additional Christmas 2020 stories:

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• Christmas Bird Count: How To Find An Active Circle Near Lakeland
• What's Open, Closed In Lakeland Christmas Weekend 2020
• Publix, Aldi: Christmas 2020 Grocery Store Hours In Lakeland
• Restaurants Open On Christmas 2020 In Lakeland