OCTA expert reiterates COVID-19 transmission risk from indoor dining

As the government eases restrictions on dine-in services at restaurants, a member of the OCTA Research Group on Sunday warned of the COVID-19 community transmission risk from indoor dining if there were no adjustments made.

"We always have to consider risk in each activity. For opening up of restaurants, we actually hope that the government would not reopen certain establishments yet because if we are looking at just public health, it is safer if we have less mobility and if we have less human interaction especially indoors," Dr. Guido David told GMA News Online.

He emphasized that there needed to be strong ventilation in indoor dining establishments as opposed to outdoor dining. The latter form of dining was ideal because it was not prone to community transmission.

"Maybe windows should be opened. They must procure facilities to make sure air is circulated very quickly. It means stale air will not linger for hours... Those are ways that maybe could reduce the risk [of transmission] in these certain establishments," David said.

Personal care services and dine-in services at restaurants were reopened in areas under a modified enhanced community quarantine, with indoor dining limited to 10% capacity; while barbershops, beauty salons, beauty parlors, and nail spas were limited to 30% capacity.

On Saturday, May 1, DOH recorded 1,046,653 total COVID-19 cases nationwide with 957,051 recoveries and 17,354 deaths.  — DVM, GMA News