Hygeinic procedure when wearing masks to restaurants

[Jingthing]

OK now that restaurants are starting to open up for eating in (more or less) in Thailand and many other countries, how are people dealing with the masks once you are in the restaurant and actually eating and drinking?

 

I'm talking about situations where wearing masks in public is required (or at least recommended) so that you will be entering the restaurants masked. Where I'm at in Thailand, it's required to always wear a mask in public and also required when entering restaurants.

 

I don't see a reason to de-mask before the food comes, but eventually you need to.

 

I understand the procedure for masks when you're wearing it all the time (wash hands before putting on, apply by touching only the straps, wash hands before taking off).

 

But I really really don't understand the procedure for restaurants.

 

OK, I know what many people are obviously doing (lowering the mask to the chin) but doing any kind of research will reveal that's very unhygienic as you will later be pulling that up that touched previously exposed skin to now be near or on your mouth.

 

Ideally then you would be properly fully removing your mask (sanitize hands, use straps) before eating. But where do you put the dirty on the outside masks at the restaurant? What's the exact procedure? Fold it a certain way? Bring a paper or plastic bag? Put it on a seat? I really don't get it. 

 

If people think this a stupid question to bring up or actually think the lowering the chin thing and then is actually a good idea, please don't bother.

 

I'm looking for real practical information. I did some searching for it online but no luck. 

 

Perhaps restaurants should help with this (like offering special bags for storage during eating)? 

[timendres]

Practically speaking, if you are this concerned about the virus, you should not be eating in a restaurant. There are quite a number of videos showing the very high degree of exposure inherent in eating out, and your mask is the very least of your concerns. Personally, I do not know why anyone would want to eat out under the current conditions. There is zero allure to eating in a restaurant at this time. I am not referring to the risk of exposure to the virus. I am referring to the fact that there is nothing appealing about eating in a restaurant under the current nonsense that is being implemented.

[jvs]

I only wear a mask because i have to,i only have one and that is the one i have used

ever since it was required.

I talked to a lot of people who are in the same boat.

Are the fork and spoon you are using desinfected?

Is the food clean?

The plate and glass?

The table and chairs?

Just not doable imo.

[jvs]

1 minute ago, timendres said:

Practically speaking, if you are this concerned about the virus, you should not be eating in a restaurant. There are quite a number of videos showing the very high degree of exposure inherent in eating out, and your mask is the very least of your concerns. Personally, I do not know why anyone would want to eat out under the current conditions. There is zero allure to eating in a restaurant at this time. I am not referring to the risk of exposure to the virus. I am referring to the fact that there is nothing appealing about eating in a restaurant under the current nonsense that is being implemented.

We went out for dinner a few nights ago,not for the food or the atmosphere but solely

to support the people working and the owner.

We where the only ones there and now i realize just two customers are not going to keep the

place in business .

They mentioned the fact they could not serve alcohol yet as a reason no people showed up.

Hard times ahead for many people.

[timendres]

4 minutes ago, jvs said:

We went out for dinner a few nights ago,not for the food or the atmosphere but solely

to support the people working and the owner.

We where the only ones there and now i realize just two customers are not going to keep the

place in business .

They mentioned the fact they could not serve alcohol yet as a reason no people showed up.

Hard times ahead for many people.

You are exactly right. I get carry out from the same place I have every night for two years, and I now always give them extra money as I know they are hurting. This is a "beer garden" sort of place with a small bar surrounded by food "stalls". For two years, the place always had 50% seats occupied or more. But now that they have re-opened, it is absolutely empty. When I asked why they thought that was, there was no hesitation - "No beer". People simply order their food and take it home. Business is running at roughly 30% of pre-lockdown.

[richard_smith237]

Hazmat suit, get them to purée the food and suck it in through a sanitized straw.

 

Alternatively... chill a little - put the mask in the bin before sitting down (or in a bag and put that in your pocket). Put on a new mask before leaving the restaurant.

 

 

[EVENKEEL]

If mask etiquette is so perplexing, perhaps it's best to eat at home. 

[torturedsole]

I hope your food tastes good after all the hassle.  

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Hazmat suit, get them to purée the food and suck it in through a sanitized straw.

 

Alternatively... chill a little - put the mask in the bin before sitting down (or in a bag and put that in your pocket). Put on a new mask before leaving the restaurant.

 

 

There is no reason to remove the mask before eating so the mask would be removed while sitting down. Also as I said restaurants are requiring people to arrive with the masks on so that implies that they are seating people with the masks still on as well.

 

[ezzra]

Not sure what is the great fuss of eating in restaurants, For me eating in a restaurant is NOT a must under any circumstances, so i will wait until it will be safe to do so...

[Jingthing]

So far the only actually on topic comment is the suggestion to have a new mask ready. 

 

I hadn't really considered that, but it does make sense.

 

Personally I wear the one use surgical masks. I managed to secure  a stash but my additional orders so far keep getting cancelled before they arrive online. So I consider them still a scarce commodity. So not good to waste them.

 

I also have some reusable washable cloth masks. 

 

So based on that comment and this link, I think this is one way of dealing with this.

 

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/face-masks-the-definitive-guide-to-when-to-wear-them-how-to-wash-them-and-the-chin-tuck-1.4256311

 

 

Quote

Face masks: The definitive guide to when to wear them, how to wash them, and the chin tuck

 

 

Arrive in one use surgical mask or reusable cloth mask.

 

Sit and order. 

 

When food arrives, sanitize hands (I carry some as is common these days as I wouldn't expect there to be any on the table), remove the mask, and put in a plastic bag.

 

Eat the food.

 

When finished, sanitize the hands again at the table, and put on a new mask.

 

The new mask could be a reusable washable cloth mask.

 

Using the cloth masks would conserve the surgical masks. It hadn't occurred to me to use two of them on one trip out before as that seemed wasteful.

 

Does this sound like a PITA? Yes. Obviously.

 

I haven't been in a restaurant yet under this new regime and I'm in no rush to do so.

 

Yes, delivery food is definitely more convenient in these times.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Not sure what is the great fuss of eating in restaurants, For me eating in a restaurant is NOT a must under any circumstances, so i will wait until it will be safe to do so...

Well I love restaurants but I agree with you that under the new regime of rules they would be much less fun.

 

I am just trying to figure out the mask situation if and when I do decide to go to them again. 

 

Keep in mind these mask and distancing rules could be in effect for a very long time as we wait for a mass distribution vaccine. 

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I'm looking for real practical information. I did some searching for it online but no luck. 

That's because there is no practical information. Do whatever you like as you won't be either right or wrong.

[thaibeachlovers]

33 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So far the only actually on topic comment is the suggestion to have a new mask ready. 

 

I hadn't really considered that, but it does make sense.

 

Personally I wear the one use surgical masks. I managed to secure  a stash but my additional orders so far keep getting cancelled before they arrive online. So I consider them still a scarce commodity. So not good to waste them.

 

I also have some reusable washable cloth masks. 

 

So based on that comment and this link, I think this is one way of dealing with this.

 

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/face-masks-the-definitive-guide-to-when-to-wear-them-how-to-wash-them-and-the-chin-tuck-1.4256311

 

 

 

 

Arrive in one use surgical mask or reusable cloth mask.

 

Sit and order. 

 

When food arrives, sanitize hands (I carry some as is common these days as I wouldn't expect there to be any on the table), remove the mask, and put in a plastic bag.

 

Eat the food.

 

When finished, sanitize the hands again at the table, and put on a new mask.

 

The new mask could be a reusable washable cloth mask.

 

Using the cloth masks would conserve the surgical masks. It hadn't occurred to me to use two of them on one trip out before as that seemed wasteful.

 

Does this sound like a PITA? Yes. Obviously.

 

I haven't been in a restaurant yet under this new regime and I'm in no rush to do so.

 

Yes, delivery food is definitely more convenient in these times.

If everyone was having to do that restaurants would, IMO be so lacking in customers they'd have to close anyway.

[bodga]

31 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

as we wait for a mass distribution vaccine. 

Which will  probably  never  come,  throw  the  mask  away  and  take  your  chances

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, jvs said:

I only wear a mask because i have to,i only have one and that is the one i have used

ever since it was required.

I talked to a lot of people who are in the same boat.

Are the fork and spoon you are using desinfected?

Is the food clean?

The plate and glass?

The table and chairs?

Just not doable imo.

Don't use common sense. It'll just get ignored by those that believe in the propaganda.

 

In a related situation, I used to work in an infectious children's unit. After every patient went home we had to clean the room then we used a machine that supposedly sterilised the room with a wet mist. They had to stop using it after tests found it was not only ineffectual, but actually caused more bugs to grow than not using it. The greatest danger, IMO is sometimes in things we think will help, but don't.

[Thaiwrath]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Snipped

 

Keep in mind these mask and distancing rules could be in effect for a very long time as we wait for a mass distribution vaccine. 

In the province I live in, masks are being worn less and less every day, even by the Thai sheeple.

As for distancing, it is used by people as and when it suits them, for example, if there is any food on offer, the distancing goes right out of the window !

People are slowly moving back into the real world.  

[Boomer6969]

Why do you need to take off the mask? just extend your arm so that the insert the IV needle to feed you.

[Dcheech]

3 hours ago, timendres said:

Practically speaking, if you are this concerned about the virus, you should not be eating in a restaurant.

 

Good advice for the OP.

 

Although as he doesn't like masks any way, this earbash whinge post is a tad excessive. Just Buy and takeaway if you are really concerned and not trolling for effect. 

 

 

[Phil McCaverty]

Bearing in mind that there hasn't been a single new case in Pattaya for over a month and only 1 or 2 per day in other parts of Thailand and not a single person hospitalised in Chonburi, I think its safe to assume that no one in Pattaya currently has Covid-19. If no one has it, its impossible for you to catch it.

 

I have been in self isolation since mid March as I have serious pre existing health problems. As of last Sunday my isolation ended. Nothing to fear now.

 

I wear a mask and observe social distancing out of respect for the Thai people, their rules and I'm happy to comply.

 

I have, thus far, used 3 restaurants, all ferang orientated. My experience has been the same in all of them. I enter the restaurant and a member of staff checks my temperature and applies gel to my hands. I choose a seat and ask the staff if its OK to sit there. On sitting down, I remove my mask and put it to one side. I then light a cigarette and peruse the menu. I don't put my mask on again until I stand up to leave.

 

I have had no adverse comments from staff or other diners and , by my observation, most diners appear to act in the same way as me.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, bodga said:

Which will  probably  never  come,  throw  the  mask  away  and  take  your  chances

I don't agree. 

I think everyone should make an effort to slow this down and there does seem to be an amazing international effort to get to a vaccine. 

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

In the province I live in, masks are being worn less and less every day, even by the Thai sheeple.

As for distancing, it is used by people as and when it suits them, for example, if there is any food on offer, the distancing goes right out of the window !

People are slowly moving back into the real world.  

Sheeple is one of the stupidest "words" in the English language. 

Masks are still required by law in much of Thailand. 

The idea of everyone wearing masks is everyone protecting everyone else. 

They offer little protection to the wearer. 

In practice I do agree that improper use of masks are worse for the wearer than no mask. 

 

 

 

[Phil McCaverty]

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I don't agree. 

I think everyone should make an effort to slow this down and there does seem to be an amazing international effort to get to a vaccine. 

You can't get any slower than zero people currently infected.

[Jingthing]

19 minutes ago, Phil McCaverty said:

Bearing in mind that there hasn't been a single new case in Pattaya for over a month and only 1 or 2 per day in other parts of Thailand and not a single person hospitalised in Chonburi, I think its safe to assume that no one in Pattaya currently has Covid-19. If no one has it, its impossible for you to catch it.

 

I have been in self isolation since mid March as I have serious pre existing health problems. As of last Sunday my isolation ended. Nothing to fear now.

 

I wear a mask and observe social distancing out of respect for the Thai people, their rules and I'm happy to comply.

 

I have, thus far, used 3 restaurants, all ferang orientated. My experience has been the same in all of them. I enter the restaurant and a member of staff checks my temperature and applies gel to my hands. I choose a seat and ask the staff if its OK to sit there. On sitting down, I remove my mask and put it to one side. I then light a cigarette and peruse the menu. I don't put my mask on again until I stand up to leave.

 

I have had no adverse comments from staff or other diners and , by my observation, most diners appear to act in the same way as me.

I don't believe that the virus isn't still out there. Many people are asymptotic, never get tested, never are counted, etc. 

 

Anyway up to you to believe that rosy picture. 

 

Complacency before a vaccine will surely result in worse later waves until a vaccine. 

 

Anyway very interested to hear about your restaurant story. 

 

So putting it on the side is something I assumed was happening. 

 

Please go into more detail. 

 

On an empty seat? 

 

Inner face side up or down? 

 

Thank you. 

[JCP108]

4 hours ago, timendres said:

Practically speaking, if you are this concerned about the virus, you should not be eating in a restaurant. There are quite a number of videos showing the very high degree of exposure inherent in eating out, and your mask is the very least of your concerns. Personally, I do not know why anyone would want to eat out under the current conditions. There is zero allure to eating in a restaurant at this time. I am not referring to the risk of exposure to the virus. I am referring to the fact that there is nothing appealing about eating in a restaurant under the current nonsense that is being implemented.

Right.

 

4 hours ago, jvs said:

I only wear a mask because i have to,i only have one and that is the one i have used

ever since it was required.

I talked to a lot of people who are in the same boat.

Are the fork and spoon you are using desinfected?

Is the food clean?

The plate and glass?

The table and chairs?

Just not doable imo.

For this all to work, someone will need to explain to restaurant workers/food stall owners that wearing gloves doesn't magically protect cross contamination unless you still follow logical guidelines about how you touch things. I regularly see gloved workers in restaurants touching money, random surfaces, then utensils and food items handed to customers. In that case, the glove is just another thing on your hand and transmitting stuff just as well as your hand would. 

 

The other day while waiting for carry out, I watched the main worker with gloved hands touch her face three times, signs and barriers by the front door eleven times, the serving counter five times, and money twice before handing us our food bag with the same gloved hand. 

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, Phil McCaverty said:

You can't get any slower than zero people currently infected.

Anybody that does any basic research knows that isn't true. 

[Jingthing]

59 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

 

Good advice for the OP.

 

Although as he doesn't like masks any way, this earbash whinge post is a tad excessive. Just Buy and takeaway if you are really concerned and not trolling for effect. 

 

 

Who likes masks? 

That's not the point either way. 

In any case I think you accused me of trolling with this thread. 

Absolutely not! 

It's very sincere though predictably most of the replies are on the trollish side. 

But I think it's worth it as mask procedures in restaurants are now a real question as the restaurants are opening. 

[Phil McCaverty]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

I don't believe that the virus isn't still out there. Many people are asymptotic, never get tested, never are counted, etc. 

 

Anyway up to you to believe that rosy picture. 

 

Complacency before a vaccine will surely result in worse later waves until a vaccine. 

 

Anyway very interested to hear about your restaurant story. 

 

So putting it on the side is something I assumed was happening. 

 

Please go into more detail. 

 

On an empty seat? 

 

Inner face side up or down? 

 

Thank you. 

Detail: On the table next to my cigarettes. No need to observe any hygiene procedures as staff wipe the table down with disinfectant before and after use.

 

There are zero people with Covid-19 in Pattaya. A percentage of all Covid-19 sufferers require hospital treatment and a percentage of those subsequently die. If you have people who are asymptomatic in the community you will also have people in hospital and you will have a small number dying.

 

In Chonburi province, no one is in hospital, no one has died recently, ergo no Covid-19 in Pattaya. This pandemic has made us all paranoid, its over for us, time to put it behind you and start enjoying life again. Have a good run out on a baht bus, you know that you want to! 555

[Jingthing]

As far as improper use of gloves and possible infected objects at restaurants, some points. 

 

This topic is specifically about masks in restaurants. 

 

Research is pointing to breathing in droplets as the highest risk of infection. 

 

You don't get it by eating. The virus is broken down by the stomach. 

 

If you do touch infected objects good hand hygiene and avoiding touching the face mitigates that. 

 

Dose of virus matters! Smaller doses mean you will probably be able to resist infection with your immune system. 

 

[Phil McCaverty]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Anybody that does any basic research knows that isn't true. 

Basic research? My daughter is a nursing sister, currently working on a Covid ward in a large hospital in the UK her husband is a doctor in A&E (ER). I am in regular contact with them and get nothing but advice from them. I value their advice more than that of ai Anutin's, Donald Trump's ....or yours.