told Business Insider that shopping in stores this year carries a "midlevel risk, which is increasing," as cases spike across the US. The timing of the holiday is "pretty unfortunate," he said, as these spikes increase risks of infection.Walmart's Black Friday plans are completely different this year due to the pandemic — here's what to expect
Based on studies he's read, "stores aren't as high risk as places where people gather for a while without masks, like indoor dining. In terms of risky behavior, this is middle ground," Kessler, who studies the spread of infectious diseases, told Business Insider. To understand where it falls as a risk, he said that it is safer than going to a restaurant, but riskier than going on an outdoor walk.
Perlman and Kessler agreed that avoiding crowds will also be key for shoppers' and retail workers' safety., an assistant professor of infectious disease at Baylor University, told Business Insider that mitigation strategies are important. "Going during off hours, low crowd times, and having a plan when you're going to these stores is going to be critical.
To evaluate the risks of shopping at particular stores, Weatherhead said shoppers should "go to a place where they're taking the virus seriously, and they have rules and regulations for both the shoppers, as well as for the employees," like wearing masks and hand sanitizer.
Finally, Kessler also recommended that shoppers go solo, though Black Friday is often a social activity. "If you go with a group of 3 friends, there's a chance one of them is infected. If that's the person who stays home, that's one less train of transmission," he said. "Try to keep those principles in mind.
So the general recommendations have changed? What about if we classify them as protests?
So, if you're going out, only go to failing, unpopular stores. Got it !