A unique, new online tool called COVID Can I Do It?, or CCIDI, empowers individuals to assess their risk of COVID-19 transmission while engaging in a selected activity at a specific location. Developed by a group of volunteer public health professionals and developers, the tool offers an accessible, user-friendly interface that relies on epidemiological data through COVID Exit Strategy, scientific literature, public health expert opinion, and crowding information from Google Maps. The tool is currently available in the United States, Uganda and the Philippines.

COVID Can I Do It? takes a unique approach to harm reduction and risk mitigation by combining a consumer-accessible website available on desktop and mobile with scientific evidence and epidemiological data to promote evidence-based decision making.  

“We wanted to create the tool as a way to point friends and family to concrete guidance on how to engage in activities safely in a COVID-19 world, in the absence of official guidance,” say co-founders Jarjieh Fang, MPH and Gayatri Sanku, MPH. “The tool consolidates practical, contextualized answers to questions we receive on how to lead a life safely during the pandemic.” 

“COVIDCanIDoIt fills a critical health communications gap and supports ongoing harm reduction efforts from the CDC, the World Health Organization, and other public health authorities,” says co-lead Andrew Zapfel, MPH. 

The CCIDI tool allows users to search specific activities they would like to assess, input their location and receive a risk score that takes into account factors like crowding, droplets, exposure time and ventilation. Activities can range from eating at an outdoor restaurant, going on a bike ride or spending time with friends. The open-source format of the CCIDI tool allows real-time updates to users, with the list of searchable activities updated frequently. 

COVID Can I Do It? invites more countries to develop public health teams to bring the tool to their community. To learn more, visit COVIDCanIDoIt.com.