Making Decisions in a COVID-19 World

Making Decisions in a COVID-19 WorldThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses difficult interdependent decisions for professionals and the individuals they serve.Professionals must answer questions such as: When should clinics, schools, salons, meat-packing plants, movie theaters, and other entities open?When should they close because of proven, possible, or perceived problems?When should they be reopened?Individuals must answer complementary questions.When is it safe enough to visit a physician's office, get a dental check-up, shop for clothing, ride the bus, visit an aging or incarcerated relative, or go to the gym?What does it mean that some places are open but not others and in one state, but not in a bordering one?How do individuals make sense of conflicting advice about face masks, fomites, and foodstuffs?Risk analysis translates technical knowledge into terms that people can use. 1,2Done to a publication standard, risk analysis requires advanced training and substantial resources. 3However, even back-of-theenvelope calculations can help individuals make sense of otherwise bewildering choices.Combined with behavioral research, risk analysis can help explain why reasonable people sometimes make different decisions. 4Why do some people wear face masks and