Editor’s note – There are few risk-free activities during the Covid-19 pandemic, but there are ways to reduce risks. Of course, people with vaccines are at a much lower risk of developing and spreading coronavirus than people who have not yet been vaccinated. CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen recommends approaching your activity decisions with that in mind.
(CNN) – As the vaccinated percentage of the population increases, you may wonder if it’s finally time to enjoy a meal that is not homemade or taken out.
Above, people are eating indoors while indoor eateries are still opening in New York City on March 24th. Physical distance, barriers and good ventilation are some ways to reduce the risk of Covid-19.
STRF / STAR MAX / IPx / AP
“You still have to be very careful to be in these areas,” said dr. Ada Stewart, a family physician at Cooperative Health in Columbia, South Carolina, and president of the American Academy of General Practitioners said. “You’re in a crowd and you do not know the status of many of these individuals.”
Due to the layout of restaurants, it can be difficult to keep social distance. Because restaurants can be noisy, people can speak louder and louder, which can increase the chance of spreading coronavirus through respiratory droplets. Depending on the ventilation flow of a restaurant, respiratory droplets and air potentially laden with coronavirus may accumulate or spread beyond 6 feet.
Given these risks, the CDC’s guidance on in-room dining is the same for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated.
If you are fully vaccinated and you become infected, you are unlikely to have Covid-19 symptoms, Stewart said. But you can “possibly expose someone else to disease, which can eventually lead to a serious illness.”
If you plan to dine out, first check if the restaurant meets the CDC’s recommended precautions. You can look at the restaurant’s website or call the business and ask. Restaurants that reduce the risks include establishments that have outdoor seating available; staff and guests must wear masks when not eating or drinking; and have their menu available online.
Eating and drinking in the outside room of a business is safer, the CDC says, as air or respiratory droplets potentially loaded with coronavirus would not roam in an enclosed space.
Limit your alcohol consumption so that you can use adequate judgment. If possible, ask for individually wrapped spices – including salt, pepper and ketchup – and do not share food. As your risk of infection increases, the longer you stay in an area, you should limit the time you have in the restaurant, the CDC suggested.
“If you are going to be very close to other people and there are a lot of meals together, then I will try to limit the time as much as possible,” said dr. Leana Wen, CNN’s medical analyst, said. physician and visiting professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
Other things you can do to limit the time you spend in the restaurant is to order in advance and not order an appetizer or more than one course.
However, if you are fully vaccinated and ‘can be separated at least 6 feet from others and you eat with someone who is also fully vaccinated’, Wen said: ‘I will have no restriction on that period.’ Whoever eats with you must also be fully vaccinated.
Everyone must cover cough and sneeze, and practice hand washing regularly.
Top image: above, people are enjoying lunch at the Grand Central Market, while indoor dining will reopen on March 15 in Los Angeles.