gone out to eat?

[bjl584]

Have you guys eaten out at a restaurant yet? DH and I and the kids haven't yet. We are still doing takeout. Quite a few people we know have eaten out. What about SA people?

I've eaten out one time since the lockdown started.
A bar/restaurant near our cabin reopened recently and we went there for dinner.

[disneysteve]

Your mind is obviously made up. I'm not sure what to believe on this.

My advice? Believe the SCIENCE. Not the "freedom" zealots. NOT the YouTube crackpots. Listen to the experts. The CDC, WHO, NIAI, etc.

Can't stand wearing the darned things and try my hardest to avoid anyplace that requires them.

You'd be pretty well out of luck here since state law requires wearing them everywhere. And since the federal government and many state governments have pathetically failed, many private companies are now taking it upon themselves to do the right thing and mandating masks in their stores nationwide (Walmart, JoAnn, Target, Costco, Home Depot, etc.).

[james.hendrickson]

That's awful. They should be limiting attendance and enforcing social distancing. And that's part of why this pandemic isn't going away anytime soon.

And in New Jersey the police broke up a 700 person party, complete with free food and a twerking contest.

https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2020/07/27/jackson-mansion-party-included-free-food-jungle-juice-and-1000-twerk-contest/

Liberian Independence Day is important, but not important enough to risk spreading coronavirus.

[disneysteve]

And in New Jersey the police broke up a 700 person party

I saw that. That's one heck of a COVID party.

[Like2Plan]

Hepatitis is spread through blood and semen. Not really a risk in a restaurant.

I thought Hepatitis A was spread through contaminated food or water, or contact with someone who is infected? (Obviously not a good look for the restaurant in question.)

[Like2Plan]

Back to the original question--we are only going to do take out and that will be a rare event.

[myrdale]

What about your kid's teacher who has breast cancer? Or your secretary who has MS? Or the bus driver who has COPD? Or the 8th grader with Crohn's disease? Or the grandmother who is still working as a hostess at the diner?

The number of people who are high risk is way higher than people realize. They can't all stay home. That's part of why masks are so critically important.

They too should probably stay home.

Hepatitis is spread through blood and semen. Not really a risk in a restaurant.
Staph is spread through direct skin to skin contact. Not really a risk for anyone but the closest of contacts.

COVID is spread through breathing - and that spread is almost completely eliminated by the simple act of wearing a mask.

Hepatitis is absolutely a risk in a restaurant. If the cook who prepares your food doesn't wash his hands properly after visiting the restroom, fecal oral is definitely a path for infection.

The guy with staph uses hand sanitizer religiously and still picked it up.

N95 mask are rated to remove 95% of all particulates that are 0.3 microns and larger. Viruses are on the scale of 10 to 100 nanometers. Could a mask reduce the quantity of virus you release into the environment? Sure. Does it almost completely eliminate it? I don't believe so by a long shot.

[myrdale]

To the points about hepatitis:

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/bartow-county/wwarning-worker-diagnosed-with-hepatitis-a-handled-food-at-popular-mexican-grill/961502462/

https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-i-catch-hepatitis-a-from-restaurant-food-1759954

[disneysteve]

Could a mask reduce the quantity of virus you release into the environment? Sure.

Then why not wear a mask? If you accept that a mask can reduce viral transmission, what's the argument in favor of not wearing one?

[ua_guy]

The guy with staph uses hand sanitizer religiously and still picked it up.

That's not a reason to discredit hand sanitizer or discontinue use. It's entirely possible (more likely) that he didn't pick up the staph infection on his face, from his hands.

This is why it's too soon for me to return to restaurants. This kind of mentality is out there, and it's prolonging the pandemic. And I don't want to get sick or make someone else sick.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I'm dying to try eating out on a patio. But at the same time I am really nervous. We also aren't eating as much takeout. And it tends to be more "fast" food now instead of nicer places. i mean gotta admit pizza, tacos, burgers, chinese, poke bowls have become more staples than not. Not really any italian or wine bars or even mexican patios. Nope. The places most likely are more like five guys, small pizza joints, chipotle, etc.

We had friends we babysat their kids on Sunday while they went out for date night. They were trying to convince us to join them on a patio. Meh. The kids played outside and we ate outside. I am not sure I am quite there yet. I'm thinking maybe after labor day...but by then the weather might be turning and how are people going to eat outside? I'm freaking out because i don't want to eat indoors for sure.

[Fishindude77]

My advice? Believe the SCIENCE. Not the "freedom" zealots. NOT the YouTube crackpots. Listen to the experts. The CDC, WHO, NIAI, etc.

You'd be pretty well out of luck here since state law requires wearing them everywhere. And since the federal government and many state governments have pathetically failed, many private companies are now taking it upon themselves to do the right thing and mandating masks in their stores nationwide (Walmart, JoAnn, Target, Costco, Home Depot, etc.).

You bet, trust your government agencies (CDC, WHO, NIAI, etc.).

I don't live in new Jersey and don't plan to come there anytime soon. I'm in the rural midwest, it's not the same, people aren't packed together like they are on the coasts and metro areas, I've been working on the farm all day and haven't seen another soul other than my spouse.

Still don't know anyone that has died from it, nor do I have any friends or family that knows anyone that has died from it. I do know of 2-3 that tested positive, but they hardly knew they were sick. If this was truly a "pandemic" like the media would like you to believe, you'd think we would be aware of a death or two in the area?

You can't lay down "blanket rules" for the entire country and expect it to work when places across the country are so vastly different in geography, population, transportation systems, etc.

Aside from the above ..... the whole idea of interacting with people while everyone is wearing masks is plain miserable, I really don't want to live in that type of a world.
I'll stay clear of the "mask zones" as much as possible and stay out in the countryside with fresh air and people that aren't all worked up over this.

[Thrif-t]

I've been out to eat on a patio twice, once my dd and I went the other time was a small family 50th bday party outside. My DH does not even want to go eat outside, says people still touch his food that prepare it . This whole thing has been a real treat for me being married to a germaphobe. We rarely do take out for the same reason, maybe fried chicken or pizza every once in a while. But truth be told we never were big out to eat people anyway. But I admit I'm ready to be out.

I hate wearing a mask, but I do. I zip in and zip out what ever few places I go, so I don't have to wear it to long. If wearing a mask makes the virus go away faster, then I'm all for it.

[disneysteve]

Still don't know anyone that has died from it, nor do I have any friends or family that knows anyone that has died from it. I do know of 2-3 that tested positive, but they hardly knew they were sick. If this was truly a "pandemic" like the media would like you to believe, you'd think we would be aware of a death or two in the area?

Be grateful that you're in an area that hasn't been ravaged by this disease. I know many who have gotten sick, some seriously, and several who have died.

If you're of the belief that there is no pandemic, I've really got nothing else to say.

[disneysteve]

I'm thinking maybe after labor day...but by then the weather might be turning and how are people going to eat outside?

I can't wait until summer is over and the weather turns so that eating outside makes more sense. Right now, it's too damn hot most of the time. It will be a far nicer option in September, October, and November. Hopefully even into December. It doesn't usually get really cold here until January or February, and we still catch the occasional 50 or 60 degree days even in January.

We actually just made a reservation for tonight at a local Mexican place. We've seen pictures of the outdoor seating area they built and it's really quite nice. It is 93 here but very low humidity so as soon as the sun starts dipping down, it should be pretty comfortable out there.