People who test positive for coronavirus twice as likely to have eaten at restaurant: study

Keydra Manns
·2 min read

Indoor dining could put you at a higher risk for catching coronavirus

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.

Read More: GOP senators fail to advance COVID-19 relief bill

“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.

Re-opening Continues Across Densely Populated New York And New Jersey Areas
Outdoor restaurant and bar seating along Smith Street in the Carroll Gardens section of Brooklyn, NY. New York City is currently in Phase 3 of the re-opening plan on July 22, 2020. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

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.

Read More: Woodward defends decision to withhold Trump’s virus comments

For now, it seems as if takeout and drive-thru services may be the safest way to consume restaurant food.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

The post People who test positive for coronavirus twice as likely to have eaten at restaurant: study appeared first on TheGrio.