Here's The Updated CDC Guidelines For Restaurants & Bars That Are Reopening

As restaurants and bars begin reopening after a long period of months, it almost feels like a tease since things are not quite the same yet.

Most recently in my county, we have just entered the yellow phase and where I live, restaurants, coffee shops and bars have opened outdoor dining, increased their hours and have allowed pickup in the store.

As we all know, the virus is spread by respiratory droplets when a person talks, coughs, sneezes or touches a contaminated surface.

Here’s what you need to know when visiting your favorite restaurant or bar to have a safe dining experience.

The CDC recommends customers and employees to keep up with regular hand washing, environmental cleaning and frequent disinfection.

Individuals should use a tissue to sneeze or cough in. Face masks should also be worn at all times, except when eating or drinking. Employees must wear face masks at all times.

Restaurants should be prioritizing outdoor dining and if outdoor seating is not possible, businesses should open doors and windows to keep the air circulating.

Indoor seating should also follow social distancing guidelines, such as limiting seating capacity and creating 6 feet of space within tables.

For a more in depth look, the CDC has rated the risks of reopening restaurants and bars from the lowest to highest. Risk of infection increases with outdoor dining and is even higher with indoor dining.

Therefore, the highest risk of infection is by not following social distancing guidelines or obtaining a reduced capacity within a restaurant or bar.