restaurant etiquette: should you disinfect your table?

soon, we may see restaurants open their doors for dine-in service as public health officials and governments are slowly allowing some businesses to reopen. as businesses like restaurants begin to resume, there will be a lot of changes to protect the safety of employees and customers.while all restaurants will be closely following the health recommendations from the government to ensure everyone’s safety, according to men’s health, it’s a good idea to take some added precautions and wipe down your table.microbiologist kelly reynolds, ph.d., director of the environment, exposure science and risk assessment center at the university of arizona, told men’s health that commonly touched surfaces or inanimate objects at the table (like salt and pepper shakers) can play a significant role in spreading infection. when people cough, sneeze or breathe, she says that germ-laden aerosol particles can quickly settle on surfaces around you, living for hours or days.when looking for a disinfectant, reynolds said there are many effective disinfecting products on the market. “look for an epa registration number on the product label that ensures it has been tested to meet the requirements of a disinfectant,” she said.if you don’t want to bring a spray bottle, wipes will do the job. just make sure that you’re not getting cleaning products on your utensils or anything that could come in contact with your food. no matter what you use, reynolds said to make sure you give the product time to work.“it is key to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to use products as formulations and recommended contact times vary widely,” she told men’s health. “the most common mistake people make is not leaving the product on the surface long enough to do its job.”if you’re thinking about other precautions when going out to eat, like wearing a mask or gloves, experts say it’s probably best to take them off when dining out.“you touch the door handle, you touch the countertop — everything you touched with those gloves has now become contaminated,” michael knight, assistant professor of medicine and the patient safety officer at the george washington university told eater.instead, practice good hand washing as often as possible with soap and water or hand sanitizer, and avoid touching your face as often as you can. when it comes to masks, experts say it’s best to use them when you’re in situations where you can’t practice safe social distancing, like the restaurant entrance, bathroom or waiting area.“remember, the mask is protecting other people from you,” said knight. “i can envision having my mask on, i come in, i sit down, i sanitize my hands, the waiter comes over, i put in my order, the waiter leaves, and i take off my mask.”at the end of the day, if you’re concerned about going out to eat because of health reasons or otherwise, there’s always takeout options to support restaurants and still enjoy a delicious meal.jordan heuvelmans is a freelance journalist with healthing.ca. you can follow her on twitter at @jordanheuvelmdon’t miss the latest on covid-19, reopening and life. subscribe to healthing’s daily newsletter covid life