University of Nebraska Medical Center Featured in NPR Article: Coronavirus FAQs: Is It Safe To Dine Indoors — Or Outdoors?

Excerpt from the article:

Some states are allowing restaurants to move back to indoor dining. But is it a safe idea to dine in right now?

Dr. Mark Kortepeter, professor of epidemiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Public Health, explains that unlike during pre-pandemic days, dining at a restaurant is no longer a pop-in, pop-out kind of situation. It's a good idea to call the restaurant and check what provisions it has in place to prevent disease transmission.

Here are some things to ask about:

• Hand sanitizer. It should be available for customers upon entering and exiting.
• Frequent cleaning. In addition to being wiped down, tables should be disinfected before each new party is seated.
• Masks. Servers and kitchen staff should wear masks at all times to avoid transmission.
• Screening. It's a good idea to eat at a place where staffers get temperature-checked before each shift and are asked if they're experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms — and if so, sent home. But keep in mind that there are limits to temperature screenings as a method to scout for the virus. So they're not a substitute for wearing a mask.

If you're set on an indoor meal, there are additional points to consider.

• Good ventilation. Avoid small indoor spaces that feel cramped. The bigger the space, the better, usually — more airspace for viral particles to dissipate.
• Space between tables. Guests should be seated as far apart as possible in the dining room — at least 6 feet apart, though more is better, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Whether you're dining inside or outside, bring hand sanitizer and use it if you happen to come into contact with any frequently touched objects, such as door handles.

When ordering, Kortepeter invokes the old public health adage: "Boil it, peel it, cook it or forget it!" In other words, it's best to order hot, fully cooked foods instead of raw fruits or vegetables. Although scientists still aren't totally sure whether the coronavirus can be spread through ingestion, pathogens in general tend to thrive on moist, raw foods, say the researchers.

When we asked our sources if they planned to dine inside a restaurant at any time, both answered: not in the near future. They do feel more comfortable with outdoor dining — although they both said they're putting it off for now because of fears of transmission.

Read the full article from NPR here.