Decisions, decisions. Which businesses can we safely frequent and which present greater health hazards than we are willing to risk?

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology analyzed data that measured the risks versus benefits of 26 categories of businesses and determined which are the most essential and safest. They published their study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

According to Fast Company, the MIT fact crunchers rated banks, dentists, and colleges at the top of their list of best and safest bets. Colleges are less risky because they tend to have big campuses so that students can spread out “with modest groups of people that produce a lot of economic and social value,” said Seth Benzell, a coauthor of the study and economics postdoctoral student. Banks are often uncrowded and are economically important, said the study authors.

“The idea was, how can we think about rationing social contacts in a way that gives us the most bang for our buck, in terms of meetings, while keeping COVID-19 transmission as low as possible?” Benzell told MIT News.

Businesses definitely not worth the risk are gyms, cafes and juice bars, sporting good stores and liquor shops because they are small, busy stores. Other risky businesses included move theaters, casinos, museums and amusement parks.

The toughest calls, according to Fast Company, were salons and barbers, hardware, furniture, office supply and department stores. Online shopping was recommended for groceries, general merchandise, electronics, clothes and books. Places of worship should also be virtual, said the authors, and restaurants should only be frequented when considered essential.