Let us be honest, we had taken our lives for granted pre-pandemic! I would like to believe that we have become more grateful towards anything and everything since Covid-19. Talking in terms of food, the lockdown has made at least 70% of us more responsible and self-reliant. We realised that most of the dishes could be made at home with a little bit of effort and enthusiasm.
Eating out has been weird ever since the virus has taken over but with a little bit of effort and caution, we could make the most out of it while helping the restaurant business grow, flourish and get back to the game. I have to admit that the first few days of going back to restaurants or hotels were quite intimidating and I wasn’t content with the experience, but now that we are at Unlock 6.0, it is like we have forgotten that coronavirus still stays and it is spreading by the second. Here are a few things I do to make sure that I don’t put my life or my friends and family’s at risk while I try to make the most out of the new normal.
- WEAR THAT MASK: The obvious and the most crucial element, wear a mask and make sure you are doing it properly. Let it cover your nose and your mouth and not either-or. Make sure your masks are not light as a feather but have enough thickness while it lets you breathe comfortably.
- Do Not Pull Down Your Mask: Make sure you remove the mask from your face and place it on a clean surface rather than pulling it down to your chin. By doing this the exposed part of your chin and neck touches the inside of your mask. Remove the mask while eating, it can be intimidating but is safer.
- Sanitize everything!: Carry your own sanitizer liquid and spray. The liquid is for your hands and the disinfectant spray for your belongings and surroundings. Sanitize the table and the chair before making yourself comfortable, the restaurants might have already done it, but there is no harm in double-checking, is there?
- Wash your hands before you eat: Rather than sanitizing your hands before you eat food, washing your hands for 20 seconds with soap is more effective and safer.
- Hold the cutlery with your opposite hand: If you are someone who eats using your fingers, make sure to hold the cutlery using the opposite hands rather than the one you use to eat.
- Encourage digital menu: Scanning the menu is the safest option if not, one can always ask the service staff for the choices rather than touching the menu offered.
I know these are just basics and not new information for any of you, but better safe than sorry, right? I have been following these steps religiously and have found them useful to date. It is important to break the chain, also is important to get back to living our lives, just because everything is open does not mean the virus has gone, it is still here and is growing faster than before.
It is also time to go #VocalForLocal and help the small businesses, vendors, entrepreneurs by helping them get back up and running. Baby steps. Hope all of you stay safe, sound and healthy, while we gear up for a new year and new challenges.
