After the terraces, the rooms! Restaurants have fully reopened on June 9 across the country, with a maximum level of 50% indoors. Here are some tips to take advantage of this newfound freedom without risking contamination …

Always favor the outdoors

First instruction: if you have the choice, choose the terrace rather than the restaurant room. Because the risk of covid contamination is much lower outside than inside.

In fact, in an enclosed space, the clouds of droplets, emitted by people who breathe and speak, hover “several minutes or even hours before dissipating“explained to AFP epidemiologist Antoine Flahault, director of the Institute for Global Health at the University of Geneva, last May.”But on the terrace, it quickly dissipates into the atmosphere“, and the risk is so”18 to 20 times less“on the outside and inside,” he also said.

To read also: Risk of contamination, end of barrier gestures …? How to live once vaccinated with two doses?

Near the doors, far from the checkouts

If, however, you settle inside the restaurant, a few precautions will allow you to reduce the risks.

The golden rule against the coronavirus in closed places is ventilation: therefore choose a place near windows or doors, open of course.

Then, avoid sitting near places of passage: near the restaurant kitchens, checkouts or even toilets.

Watch out for air conditioning

Another point to take into account: air conditioning or ventilation systems. They can indeed be the cause of cases of coronavirus contamination in closed rooms, as already shown in April 2020 by a Chinese study carried out in a restaurant where a single guest had infected nine people, via air conditioning.

In practice, avoid standing under an air conditioning air intake, as the air entering it is potentially loaded with expired droplets. Prefer the seats that are facing an air outlet, because the expelled air is filtered air.

Six at the table, with the mask

Finally, inside and out, wear your masks when you are not eating and for all your movements in the establishment.

Also remember to wash your hands regularly with soap and water or hydroalcoholic gel. Finally, note that until June 30, the rule of six people maximum at the same table applies on the terrace as inside restaurants.