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By Dora Mekouar March 16, 2020 03:14 PM Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Print this page SeveralU.S.states are closing dine-in restaurants and bars, limiting the establishments to carry-out or delivery service,in an effort tostem the spread of coronavirus. The governors of California, Connecticut, Ohio, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Washington State are among those who have ordered the restrictions. Mayors in some towns acrossthe United Statesare also putting similar measures in place. "These are very difficult decisions, but hours counthereand very strong measures are necessary to slow the spread of the virus," WashingtonstateGovernor Jay Inslee said. Customers order and wait for their food at a restaurant in Chicago, March 15, 2020. Customers order and wait for their food at a restaurant in Chicago, March 15, 2020. Ben Chapman, a professor and food safety specialist at North Carolina State University, says itisimportant for people to remember that, when it comes to coronavirus, the risks of eating out have nothing to do with the food itself. "I'm worried about someone coughing on surfaces, but food itself has not been identified at all as a risk factor in this outbreak," Chapman says. "Eating food, handling food, has not been identified as a risk factor in this outbreak, or in any other respiratory virus outbreak." Health experts are still trying to get a full grasp on how COVID-19 spreads. The [137]Centers for Disease Control reports the virus is spread primarily from person to person through droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Itisalso possible that a person can get coronavirus from surfaces or objects that have the virus on it. Which means practicing good hygiene is important for those who do go to restaurants right now. "I, typically, am going to have a menu and I'm going to order food from that menu and what I would suggest is, since I don't know who's maybe handled that menu before, after I handle a menu--go wash my hands or use hand sanitizer," says Chapman. "And I would apply that same step to handling condiments on the table or salt and pepper shakers. I really could reduce my risk of not just coronavirus, but influenza as well." Restaurant manager Natalie Marquez sanitizes tables and stacks chairs in Chicago, March 16, 2020. Restaurant manager Natalie Marquez sanitizes tables and stacks chairs in Chicago, March 16, 2020. The [138]National Restaurant Association has issued guidelines advising eating establishmentsin the U.S.on steps they can take to avoid spreading coronavirus. These measuresinclude wiping surfaces down more oftenandusing a list of disinfectants that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, are effective against coronavirus. "State and local food codes establish strict safe food handling requirements for restaurants," Larry Lynch, senior vice president of science and industry for the National Restaurant Association told VOA via email. "And operators are being proactive by stepping up existing cleaning and sanitation procedures." An area of concern for both restaurants and grocery stores is self-serve food bars where utensils are regularly shared. Chapman advises establishments to regularly clean or swap out shared serving utensils. "I think that restaurants and grocery stores are taking notice of these common high-touch surfaces and best practice would be to clean and sanitize, and/or replace those in at an interval that matches how often they're being used," Chapman says. "That's where it gets a little tough and you kind of have to look atitbusiness by business." While people can avoid restaurants if they choose to, most will have to eventually go to the grocery store to buy food. A shopper wheels her cart full of groceries in Skokie, Ill., March 14, 2020. A shopper wheels her cart full of groceries in Skokie, Ill., Saturday, March 14, 2020. While the primary risk factor is being around sick people, there is a contamination concern about hard surfaces like grocery carts, tongs andself-serveareas, sliding doors where refrigerated foods are kept, door handles, and going to the restroom. Shoppers can manage that risk by washing their hands, not touching their face, and using hand sanitizer. But what if someone infected with coronavirus sneezes in the produce department where many fruits and vegetables are displayed out in the open? "Even though something like an apple seems like a really hard surface, there are a lot of biological components that can make it not the greatest surface for a virus to survive on," Chapman says. "The fact that someone even coughs on my food is gross, but doesn't really, at this point, increase my risk of getting coronavirus because I'm going to eat that produce, and it's going to go into the high acids environment in my stomach." And if even carry-out food is a worry for some people, Chapman says consumers can take proper precautions. "If I'm worried about something on a package or on a bag, as soon as I'm finished touching that bag, before I touch my food, I will wash my hands and use hand sanitizer," he says. "Do not think that you're not in control of the risk because you do have a step to reduce your individual risk." Related Stories Top US Disease Expert Fauci Calls on Americans to 'Hunker Down' to Slow Coronavirus [139]Coronavirus Outbreak [140]Top US Disease Expert Fauci Calls on Americans to 'Hunker Down' to Slow Coronavirus President Donald Trump asked Americans not to hoard food and basic supplies, saying grocery stores will stay open throughout the coronavirus crisis Cindy Saine By [141]Cindy Saine Mon, 03/16/2020 - 10:15 A researcher at Protein Sciences works in a lab, Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Meriden, Conn. [142]Coronavirus Outbreak [143]Coronavirus Vaccine Trial Starts Monday, US Official Says The first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not been publicly announced yet AP logo By [144]Associated Press Sun, 03/15/2020 - 20:43 A voter wearing a mask casts her ballot on the Super Tuesday, at a voting center in Monterey Park, Calif., Tuesday, March 3,'¦ [145]US Politics [146]In US, Coronavirus Prompts Calls for Voting Reform State of Louisiana on Friday postpones its primary election contest due to the coronavirus threat Brian Padden By [147]Brian Padden Sat, 03/14/2020 - 01:28 Default Author Profile Written By [148]Dora Mekouar (Submit) (Submit) (Submit) (Submit) (Submit) [149]Twitter [150]Instagram [151]Facebook [152]YouTube [153]RSS Search VOA News ____________________ (Submit) Search * [154]United States [155]US Politics + [156]Immigration + [157]All About America + 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