Dining at your favorite restaurant could potentially put you at a higher risk for coronavirus. A new study conducted by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says participants who contracted the virus reported sitting down at a restaurant within 14 days of testing positive.
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“In addition to dining at a restaurant, case-patients were more likely to report going to a bar/coffee shop, but only when the analysis was restricted to participants without close contact with persons with known COVID-19 before illness onset,” per Business Insider.
It is unclear whether the participants who tested positive for the virus dined inside or outside. But experts do say dining indoors could heighten the risk of the virus because air circulation could promote the transmission.
Another finding was that 71% of the people who tested positive claimed to always wear a face mask but at the same time, 74% of those who tested negative also claimed to have worn a face mask while in public.
The United States has some of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases in the world. According to Johns Hopkins University’s tracker, as of Friday, the US has had nearly 200,000 coronavirus deaths and 6.3 million coronavirus cases.
Reuters reports New York City recently announced its plan to possibly reopen for indoor seating on Sept. 30th but only at 25% capacity.
Large gatherings with family and friends, religious events, and movie theaters still pose a high risk of spreading the virus. But on the bright side, outdoor activities and areas like the beach are not much of a risk.
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For now, it seems as if takeout and drive-thru services may be the safest way to consume restaurant food.
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