Restaurants are reopening, but it’s important to be as safe as possible to minimize risks.
Restaurants have been one of the hardest hit businesses since the novel coronavirus caused lockdowns across the country. Now that these places are reopening across states in the U.S., business owners are looking for effective ways of navigating this new normal. They must manage preventing the spread of virus while also making a profit.
When going out to a restaurant, you’ll always be exposing yourself to risk. When compared to the risks you’re exposing yourself to when visiting parks and working out outdoors, restaurants work differently. Even if the restaurant you’re visiting is very careful with their social distancing measures, there’s no way of knowing if you’re occupying a space with someone that was exposed to the virus. In addition, you and everyone else will be eating and drinking close together, unable to wear face masks for most of your stay.
Still, after months spent cooped up indoors, an outing to a restaurant may be the shot of normalcy your body is craving. There are effective ways of minimizing your risks:
Look for outdoor seating
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When leaving the safety of your home, the safest thing you can do is find a place to hang out outdoors. Open spaces with free airflow are safer for everyone since the spread of germs is less likely. Unless the indoor restaurant you’re attending is very big and distanced, it’s a big risk to sit somewhere for a significant portion of time in contact with people without wearing masks.
Dine out with people you live with
While restaurant outings are great opportunities to catch up with friends, we’re still living in pandemic times. By eating out with people you live with, you’ll be eliminating tons of risks. When it comes to eating out with friends, a good option is to get take out and to eat in an open space, keeping six feet of distance between everyone and avoiding sharing utensils or napkins.
Wash your hands regularly
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Constant hand washing is stressful and bad for your skin, which is why it pays to learn when to wash your hands. As a rule of thumb, what works best is to wash your hands when leaving and entering a building, after using the bathroom and before eating. If you don’t have access to soap, hand sanitizer also works.
