If being installed outdoors reduces the risk of contamination, following some good advice indoors helps to protect against possible infection.
- Outside, where establishments can now receive at full capacity, maintaining a good distance is sufficient.
- Inside, it is better to stand near an open door, a window or in front of an air conditioning outlet duct.
- On the other hand, it is better to avoid sitting in front of an air conditioning air inlet as well as places near kitchens and checkouts.
This Wednesday, June 9 marks a new stage in the deconfinement with in particular the postponement of the curfew to 11 p.m. and the possibility for restaurants, cafes and bars to welcome customers indoors. This reception will be limited to a gauge of 50% while the terraces will now be able to receive at full capacity, with in both cases a limit of 6 people per table. If this means a return to our habits and a certain normality, the virus continues to be present. To avoid the risk of contamination as much as possible, a few rules must be respected.
Outdoors better than indoors
To take the least risk, it is best to set up outdoors. The virus is mainly transmitted by aerosol. The microparticles remain longer in the air breathed indoors while they evaporate much more quickly outdoors. The micro-droplets contained in the postilions also have more difficulty reaching their target outdoors since the projections are attenuated by the wind. Thus, by maintaining social distancing, the risk of infection on the terrace is low.
If no outdoor space is available or the weather is not conducive to sitting on the terrace, sitting indoors is now possible. This does not automatically mean an increased risk of transmission. Although this is more important than outside, good social distancing coupled with good ventilation already reduces the risk.
Indoors, adopt the right strategy
To put the odds on your side, it is best to stand near an open door or window. If this is not possible, it is better not to sit in front of an air conditioning air inlet, usually installed on a wall or on the ceiling. On the other hand, positioning yourself in front of an air conditioning outlet duct is a good option because the expelled air is in principle filtered by the system.
It is better to avoid places close to kitchens or checkouts which are likely to be important places of passage. “I sit in a corner where people don’t congregate, and where I keep my mask on until my order arrives”, sums up Peter Gulick professor of medicine at Michigan State University College, Huffington Post.
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