Restaurants and bars in Belgium will open for indoor dining and drinking on June 9, and people who are fully vaccinated will be exempt from testing when they return from abroad, the government said Friday. ‘These past months, we have completed a long journey.
Can COVID-19 be transmitted through food?
There is currently no evidence that people can catch COVID-19 from food. The virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed at temperatures similar to that of other known viruses and bacteria found in food.
What are the organs most affected by COVID‐19?
The lungs are the organs most affected by COVID‐19
Are there precautions to take while eating in a restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic?
See full answer There is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 is transmitted by food, including fresh fruits and vegetables. The virus can be killed while cooking food at temperatures of at least 70°C.
Food buffets are not recommended because of the risk of close physical contact with others, shared serving implements and multiple people touching the surfaces on the buffet. Indoor dining spaces should have a maximum of 4 people in 10 square metres. The distance from the back of one chair to the back of another chair should be at least 1 metre apart for both indoor and outdoor dining, and guests that face each other should also be at this distance.
Guests should be reminded when entering and leaving the area to clean their hands. When the physical distance of at least 1 metre cannot be guaranteed, masks are recommended to be worn by staff and guests.
Where was COVID-19 first discovered?
The first known infections from SARS-CoV-2 were discovered in Wuhan, China. The original source of viral transmission to humans remains unclear, as does whether the virus became pathogenic before or after the spillover event.
Can the coronavirus survive on surfaces?
It is not certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces, but it seems likely to behave like other coronaviruses. A recent review of the survival of human coronaviruses on surfaces found large variability, ranging from 2 hours to 9 days (11).
The survival time depends on a number of factors, including the type of surface, temperature, relative humidity and specific strain of the virus.
What is the risk of COVID-19 infection from food products?
The main route of transmission of coronaviruses in humans is through inhalation of respiratory fluids. There is no evidence to suggest that handling food or consuming food is associated with COVID-19. The risk of infection via this route is therefore considered very low, although it cannot be completely excluded.
Hence, basic hygienic precautions should be taken to prevent food-related infections, including washing hands after the handling of packages and before preparing and consuming food.
Who are at higher risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19?
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.
What are the complications of COVID-19?
Complications may include pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multi-organ failure, septic shock, and death.
Are vitamin D supplements needed if individuals are not exposed to sunlight due to COVID-19 lockdowns?
See full answer Vitamin D can be made in the skin by exposure to sunlight or obtained through the diet from natural sources (e.g. fatty fishes such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, fish liver oils, beef liver, cheese and egg yolks), or from vitamin D-fortified foods or vitamin D-containing supplements.
In situations where individuals’ vitamin D status is already marginal or where foods rich in vitamin D (including vitamin D-fortified foods) are not consumed, and exposure to sunlight is limited, a vitamin D supplement in doses of the recommended nutrient intakes (200-600 IU, depending on age) or according to national guidelines may be considered.
Are food workers required to wear gloves during the COVID-19 pandemic?
See full answer The COVID-19 virus can contaminate disposable gloves in the same way it can get onto workers hands and contact surfaces. Removal of disposable gloves can lead to contamination of hands. Wearing disposable gloves can give you a false sense of security and may result in staff not washing hands as frequently as required.
Handwashing is a greater protective barrier to infection than wearing of disposable gloves. Food businesses need to ensure adequate sanitary facilities are provided and ensure food workers thoroughly and frequently wash their hands. Soap and water is adequate for hand washing.
Which types of settings does COVID-19 spread more easily?
The “Three C’s” are a useful way to think about this. They describe settings where transmission of the COVID-19 virus spreads more easily:
Crowded places;
Close-contact settings, especially where people have conversations very near each other;
Confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.
What are some preventative measures for COVID-19?
Preventive measures include physical or social distancing, quarantining, ventilation of indoor spaces, covering coughs and sneezes, hand washing, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face. The use of face masks or coverings has been recommended in public settings to minimise the risk of transmissions.
What is the origin of COVID-19?
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. It was first isolated from three people with pneumonia connected to the cluster of acute respiratory illness cases in Wuhan. All structural features of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus particle occur in related coronaviruses in nature.
When was COVID-19 first reported?
On this website you can find information and guidance from WHO regarding the current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that was first reported from Wuhan, China, on 31 December 2019.
Who issued the official name of COVID-19?
The official names COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 were issued by the WHO on 11 February 2020.
How is the COVID-19 disease transmitted?
COVID-19 transmits when people breathe in air contaminated by droplets and small airborne particles containing the virus. The risk of breathing these in is highest when people are in close proximity, but they can be inhaled over longer distances, particularly indoors. Transmission can also occur if splashed or sprayed with contaminated fluids in the eyes, nose or mouth, and, rarely, via contaminated surfaces.
How does COVID-19 spread?
See full answer SARS-CoV-2 is mainly spread via respiratory droplets including aerosols from an infected person who sneezes, coughs, speaks, sings or breathes in close proximity to other people. Droplets including aerosols can be inhaled or deposited in the nose and mouth or on the eyes.
More rarely, infection may be due to contact with surfaces contaminated with droplets.
The virus can survive on different surfaces for a few hours (copper, cardboard) up to a number of days (plastic and stainless steel). However, the amount of viable virus declines over time and it is rarely present on surfaces in sufficient quantities to cause infection. Infection may occur when a person touches their nose, mouth or eyes with their hands either contaminated by fluids containing the virus or indirectly by having touched surfaces contaminated with the virus.
Which types of settings does COVID-19 spread more easily?
The “Three C’s” are a useful way to think about this. They describe settings where transmission of the COVID-19 virus spreads more easily:
Crowded places;
Close-contact settings, especially where people have conversations very near each other;
Confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.
Can COVID-19 be transmitted through water?
Fact: Water or swimming does not transmit the COVID-19 virus
The COVID-19 virus does not transmit through water while swimming. However, the virus spreads between people when someone has close contact with an infected person.
When will hair salons and tattoo shops reopen in Belgium?
Non-essential shop owners will be authorized to welcome customers without appointments from April 26, when hair salons and tattoo shops can reopen. A total of 23,566 people have died from coronavirus-related causes in Belgium, a country of 11.5 million that was among the hardest-hit globally when the pandemic broke.