Aug 4
2020
Outdoor Dining During COVID-19
Different activities come with different levels of risk of exposure during the current COVID-19 outbreak.
When it comes to outdoor dining, Richard Watkins, M.D., a Northeast Ohio Medical University associate professor of internal medicine who specializes in infectious disease, tells Verywell, it’s all about distancing and the length of time spent in a public space.
“The main problem is remaining in one spot for an extended amount of time,” says Dr. Watkins. He also notes that outdoor dining, such as picnics and BBQs with friends, pose the same level of risk.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer a few guiding principles for eating out.
- Lowest Risk: Food service limited to drive-through, delivery, take-out, and curbside pick-up.
- More Risk: Drive-through, delivery, take-out, and curbside pick-up emphasized. On-site dining limited to outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
- Even More Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
- Highest Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity not reduced, and tables not spaced at least 6 feet apart.
