Mask Theater At Restaurants Is Getting Gross
[Buck Throckmorton]

My wife and I have been trying to support local restaurants throughout the Wuhan Virus panic, first getting takeout one or two nights per week, and ever since our elected officials started “allowing” restaurants to seat guests, we have dined out at least once each weekend. Initially the only “mask theater” I could see was my waiter bringing me food. Having now gone to some restaurants where the food prep is done in view of the patrons, I now realize how gross and unsanitary the whole charade is. In recent weeks we have been at restaurants where we can see food prep, beverage service, etc. Every single restaurant employee is constantly tugging at his mask, adjusting it, pulling it down, and then pulling it back up, etc. And overwhelmingly they grab it right below the nose - the humid, warm spot where they have been exhaling for hours. But they’re wearing gloves, right? Right, the same gloves they’ve been wearing all night as they grab plates and glasses from tables, and the same gloves they’ve been wearing while grabbing at the warm, humid mask all night.

Now I am no expert on infectious diseases (nor are any of the epidemiologists bluffing their way through this hysteria), but I am pretty sure that if we are worried about Wuhan Flu being spread by oral or nasal exhalations, then it is unwise to have the people serving our food constantly sticking their fingers into a moist petri dish of nasal exhaust. How about we ditch the masks and gloves, and just have the employee sanitize his hand every time he visits a table. That has to be more sanitary than getting a thumbprint of nasal exhaust with every plate or beverage refill.

posted by Open Blogger at 05:00 PM

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