In fact, research published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report in May found evidence that singing can result in a super-spreader event. At the time, the CDC reported that after a choir rehearsed for two-and-a-half hours in Skagit County, Washington, one symptomatic member spread the virus to 87 percent of the choir. As a result, two members died. “The act of singing itself might have contributed to SARS-CoV-2 transmission,” the study concluded. “This outbreak of COVID-19 with a high secondary attack rate indicates that SARS-CoV-2 might be highly transmissible in certain settings, including group singing events.” When MLive asked a panel of doctors to assess the COVID risk level of 36 activities—from going to the gym to getting on an airplane—they determined that going to church is an extremely high-risk activity. They gave it a rating of an 8 out of 10, but said that singing would actually make going to church just as risky as going to a bar. “If they add singing, then it’s on a par with bars,” Mimi Emig, MD, a retired infectious disease specialist with Spectrum Health, told MLive. “People are going to hate that, but it’s the truth.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Singing poses such a risk that on July 1, the California Department of Public Health temporarily put a ban on singing and chanting in all houses of worship. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. In schools, of course, singing can pose just as much of a threat, especially if a music classroom doesn’t allow students to maintain six feet of distance. The CDC’s mask guidance for music classes says, “When students are not singing or playing an instrument that requires the use of their mouth, they should wear a cloth face covering in music class (unless class is outdoors and distance can be maintained).” The experts also note that music teachers should try to practice social distancing and that they should “consider moving class outdoors where air circulation is better than indoors.” Of course, that’s not possible for many schools, if not most. And for more risky behaviors, check out This Is How High Your COVID Risk Is Based on Your Everyday Behavior.
