Your COVID-19 questions answered: Is takeout safe? Here's what health officials say - Citizen Times
ASHEVILLE - Nearly two months into the state's Phase 2 of reopening, more local restaurants have begun to publicly announce confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Those announcements are strictly voluntary: Neither the county nor the state require a business to report positive cases on their premises.
Those businesses are also not required to close, though Communicable Disease staff work with the restaurant to perform contact tracing, with Environmental Health guiding the impacted business through sanitation.
More: COVID-19: Contact tracing fears, rumors vs. how it really happens
Felissa Vasquez, food and lodging supervisor with Buncombe County's Environmental Health Team, said the department primarily helps restaurants navigate the new rules of COVID-19 through educational efforts, like a virtual check-in program.
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"The virtual check-in program provides the facility a scheduled one-on-one with their inspector, in preparation for their next inspection," she said.
Health inspectors virtually guide restaurant staff through the process of COVID-specific cleaning and pass along guidelines on employee health screening.
But what about the food?
Both the Centers for Disease and the Food and Drug administration say there is no evidence to suggest that consuming food can be a source of infection for COVID-19.
The FDA says that, while gastrointestinal viruses like Norovirus and Hepatitis A can potentially contaminate food, SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is primarily transmitted through the air.
The CDC concurs. Coronaviruses, like the one that causes COVID-19, are thought to spread mostly person-to-person through respiratory droplets expelled when someone coughs, sneezes or talks, which is why the national health institute recommends mask wearing.
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Infection through food is possible, but not likely, the CDC says.
"It is possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object, including food or food packaging, that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes," the CDC states. "However, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads."
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Takeout is low-risk
Social distancing remains an important factor in helping slow the spread of COVID-19, Vasquez said.
"Therefore takeout from a restaurant is a great way to enjoy food safely at home while still supporting the restaurant industry," she said.
Many restaurants now allow contact-free take-out, she added.
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Curious or concerned about picking up your food? Just ask for details when you call in your order, she said.
"For example, some restaurants allow you to pay over the phone and then will provide curbside pick-up," she said. "If a customer does not feel comfortable with the pick-up process, then I encourage them to speak with management to see if they can accommodate an alternate process that allows for little to no contact with others."
And, of course, there's always delivery.
More: Coronavirus: How Asheville delivery services scramble to get you food
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Mackensy Lunsford has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years, and has been a staff writer for the Asheville Citizen Times since 2012. Lunsford is a former professional line cook and one-time restaurant owner.
Reach me: mlunsford@citizentimes.com.
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