There seems to be a lot of confusion around the use of masks and an ongoing debate that has a lot of people worried about their safety.
Since Covid-19 hit our communities it seems everyone has a different opinion about the best way to wear a mask, when you should wear one or if you should wear one at all. Last week the city of Toronto passed a law making masks mandatory in all public spaces and many municipalities are following suit.
When it comes to food, there are a lot of things to consider including the health and safety of the public. Did you know that people who work in restaurants and food establishments recieve specific training to prepare them for proper food handling including everything from correct sanitization procedures all the way to handling food amidst illness and outbreaks? The law requires that anyone who works with food become a certified food handler but what does that really mean? Well it means that an establishment that has a green pass paper from the city in their window know how to prepare food safely, how to prevent the spread of illness and how to operate the kitchen in a way that ensures food is safe for consumption. It also means that sanitization protocols that have now been implemented in all public spaces have been commonplace long before the pandemic hit.
That being said, what seems to make the most sense is not always best practice within a professional kitchen setting. For example, most people think that wearing gloves in the kitchen should be mandatory and are quite upset when they see people working in the kitchen without them. In fact, wearing gloves all the time in the kitchen is highly discouraged by Toronto and Vaughan public health because it gives a false sense of security to the handler and often causes more potential risk than simply washing hands often. Gloves are only recommended for specific jobs in the kitchen such as cleaning or handling raw food. It is recommended that handlers be in the habit of washing hands often. It has been found that the potential for cross contamination is much higher when handlers wear gloves because the immediate need to wash hands is less apparent when they feel protected by gloves. This has been shown to be the case with Covid-19 as well.
When it comes to wearing masks the misconceptions have been rapidly growing while people don't necessarily understand the reasons behind wearing them. Masks help stop the spread of the virus between people. If you're wearing a mask you are protecting the people around you. It has been said several times by the CDC and the WHO that Covid-19 is not a foodborne illness. This means that your food does not need to be protected from the illness because it cannot be spread through it.
Masks are to protect people not food.
The purpose of masks within a food establishment are to protect staff from each other and customers when close contact is required like during table service, for example. Toronto health has only required that masks be worn in situations where the public and/or staff are engaging with each other. They have also required that staff within workplaces are screened before every shift. If the establishment you frequent is only offering take out and there is social distancing protocol in place they are not required to wear masks and you should not worry that this would compromise the food you are about to enjoy.
The local establishments who are only offering take out and who serve in a contactless scenario are not required to wear masks. It is only when coming into direct contact with the public at a distance of less than 2 meters that wearing a mask is required. It is important to understand that wearing a mask in a hot kitchen can pose other potential risks to those who spend their days working there. Kitchens that only have one staff member working do not require the use of a mask because they are not coming into contact with other people in close proximity. As I mentioned, masks are to protect people, not food.
If you have trusted establishments to handle your food in the past, there is no need to worry that they are any less equipped to provide you with safe food now during the pandemic.
As I have been saying for months, everyone is entitled to the opinion they are comfortable with. Whether you are still at home and weary of going out, you've completely given up on the pandemic all together or you have settled somewhere in between, whatever makes you comfortable is entirely up to you and you have to do what's best for you and your family.
Foodservice is a difficult industry and those who have stayed out there serving you have made the decision to risk their safety every day as they continue to bring you the food you need and love. They are well trained and well versed in best practice, even in the unchartered waters of the pandemic. Your safety is their number one priority so understand that they will implement whatever measures are necessary to keep you and your food safe. If you have questions or concerns, you should address them directly with the establishment. Store owners want their customers to feel comfortable.
Take care of yourself and each other,
The Kosher King
For more info check out: https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-what-you-should-do/covid-19-orders-directives-by-laws/mandatory-mask-or-face-covering-bylaw/
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