A Real-world, Current Events Application of Probability and Risk

At the intersection of coronavirus and probability comes some advice from Dr. Fauci about gettin' a little lovin' from a rando these days:

A confused Dr. Fauci was asked about hookups at the tail end of an interview with Snapchat’s “Good Luck America” news program and was forced to give advice on how to handle being particularly lonely — and unwilling to simply stay home — in the age of coronavirus.

“If you’re swiping on a dating app like Tinder, or Bumble or Grindr, and you match with someone that you think is hot, and you’re just kind of like, ‘Maybe it’s fine if this one stranger comes over.’ What do you say to that person?” the host asked Dr. Fauci, apparently channeling the burning questions of Snapchat’s users.

“You know, that’s tough,” Dr. Fauci answered, according to the New York Post. “Because that’s what’s called relative risk.”

He then tried to explain the concept of weighing the satisfaction of a coronavirus lockdown-defying hookup against the possibility of contracting the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 — a disease that, while primarily problematic for the elderly, is plenty risky for those of the age to use social media dating applications.

“If you’re willing to take a risk — and you know, everybody has their own tolerance for risks — you could figure out if you want to meet somebody,” Dr. Fauci replied. “If you want to go a little bit more intimate, well, then that’s your choice regarding a risk"...

Dr. Fauci went on to remind Snapchat users that the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is particularly sneaky, and that around 40% of people who contract the virus show no symptoms. Hooking up with someone who appears to be feeling well is no guarantee that you’re hooking up with someone who isn’t a carrier for the virus...

So far, despite his interview with Snapchat, neither Dr. Fauci nor the federal government have made any official proclamations about sexual health in a pandemic.

There you have it!