Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller

How to assess risk during a global pandemic

People relax in marked circles for proper social distancing
People relax in marked circles for proper social distancing mid the pandemic at Domino Park in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn on May 17, 2020, in New York.
Kathy Willens | AP Photo file

On Friday, Gov. Tim Walz announced more of Minnesota’s coronavirus pandemic restrictions can be lifted. That’s good news for businesses. But as the opportunities for activity grow, the public is left to weigh the risks. Is wearing a mask to the gym worth it? Is it safe to let the kids hug their grandparents? Can we go to the lake? What about camping?

Nothing is 100 percent safe, and risk isn’t binary. But learning to build a framework for assessing exposure can help.

Monday on MPR News with Kerri Miller, we talked with an epidemiologist and an expert on risk psychology about how to make decisions so you can enjoy your summer — even in the middle of a pandemic.  

Guests:

  • Dr. William Miller, epidemiologist at Ohio State’s College of Public Health 

  • Ann Bostrom, professor at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington

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To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.