Yesterday, in Post #829, I analyzed the impact that heating outdoor dining areas areas might have on risk of COVID-19 transmission. My conclusion was that it wouldn’t make the dining area any less safe. And that it would improve the public health if it would keep people from dining in enclosed indoor spaces, because that’s where the real risk of transmission occurs. The unrestricted air flow of outdoor spaces makes them much safer than equivalent indoor spaces.
That posting was prompted by an email exchange with a friend. As part of that, I started my discussion by stating something that I thought was obvious:
Let me assume that to qualify as "outdoor", they can't roll down the sides of their tents. So that "outdoor" is synonymous with no walls. (For sure, they should not be allow to roll those tent sides down, because that defeats the whole purpose. But you never know what the lawyers are going to think of next.)
And so, what should arrive in my inbox today, from that same friend, but a link to this article that came out today in the Patch. The gist of that is that, yes indeed, Fairfax County is considering allowing restaurants to enclose their tents, and still call it outdoor dining. Continue reading Post #830: Outdoor seating?