How reopening risk levels are estimated
Public health groups have used tiered, color-coded risk-level frameworks (such as new daily cases per 100,000 residents) to guide decisions about reopening businesses, schools, and public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lower case rates generally support more normal activity, while higher rates call for more caution.
How this calculator works
The base risk level comes from your 7-day average of new daily cases per 100,000 people, using commonly referenced bands: under 1 (low), 1-9 (moderate), 10-24 (substantial), and 25+ (high). A high test positivity rate or high ICU bed occupancy – both signs that spread or strain on the healthcare system may be worse than the case count alone suggests – can raise the estimated level further.
This calculator reflects a simplified, illustrative version of published community risk-level frameworks for general educational purposes. It is not an official public health determination, and actual local guidance, healthcare capacity, and case data should come from your local or national health authority.