How To Safely Get Takeout In The Coronavirus Era
NPR
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
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With most restaurants around the U.S. closed to dining in due to the coronavirus outbreak, some have pivoted to takeout and delivery. Here's how to minimize risk of viral transmission while doing so.
Transcript
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Whether to order takeout used to be an easy question to answer. Not enough food in the fridge? Get takeout.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Don't feel like cooking? Get takeout.
CHANG: Running short on time? Takeout.
KELLY: But now the question has become complicated. In most states, restaurants have been ordered to shut their doors to dine-in customers to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
CHANG: Which leaves takeout - but is ordering it safe?
KELLY: So according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the answer is generally yes. There is currently no evidence that the virus can be transmitted by food.
CHANG: It's spread by respiratory droplets, so the biggest risk of getting takeout is the contact you might have with other people. So many restaurants are taking extra precautions, such as no-contact pickup and delivery, which protects both you and the delivery worker.
KELLY: Now, once you have your food, you will want to throw away any packaging that it comes in. According to the CDC, it is possible you can get sick from touching a surface that has the virus on it.
CHANG: Once you're done, wash your hands thoroughly - and bon appetit.
(SOUNDBITE OF STACEY KENT SONG, "NEVER LET ME GO") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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