As coronavirus cases continue to spike around the country, many cities and states have once again shut down indoor dining to keep individuals safe.
Now a new study has put a spotlight on the COVID risks involved while inside a restaurant, reported Forbes.
The South Korean study, published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science, showed the novel virus could spread quickly beyond the six feet of social distancing normally recommended if there is direct air flow.
According to the study, the researchers determined the virus spread more than three times the six-foot range in just five minutes. The speed is particularly disconcerting considering many spend a longer amount of time maskless while eating at their table.
Based on the findings, the researchers believe there should be more than six feet of space between tables in restaurants.
“In this outbreak, the distances between infector and infected persons were ... farther than the generally accepted 2 meter [6.6-foot] droplet transmission range,” the authors of the study wrote. “The guidelines on quarantine and epidemiological investigation must be updated to reflect these factors for control and prevention of COVID-19.”
The research involved looking at data from a recent outbreak at a South Korean restaurant where two diners seated 21-feet away from an asymptomatic diner later became infected. The researchers concluded the restaurant’s air conditioning provided direct air flow to spread the virus to the two diners.
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Using closed-circuit TV, cell phone data and interviews, the researchers were able to determine the diners spent less than five minutes inside the restaurant at the same time and had no direct or indirect contact.
“We share these investigation results as a reference to update guidelines involving prevention, tracing, and quarantine for control of this pandemic infectious disease,” the scientists wrote in the study, according to NBC News.
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