Infectious disease specialist says it’s ‘reasonable’ sit on restaurant patio during pandemic

Patios can be opened in restaurants and bars in eastern Ontario and Ottawa on Friday, though physical distancing requirements will be in place.

“I think it’s reasonable to do so. I think the physical layout within each business establishment is something that has to be examined carefully to determine how people can be distanced safely,” said infectious disease specialist, Dr. Abdu Sharkawy during a CTV News interview.

“We also need to be mindful of the fact that being in an outdoor space carries with it a lot less risk than being inside a closed environment, where ventilation allows for transmission of a virus or some other infectious source to occur much more easily.”

The World Health Organization on Tuesday attempted to clear up public confusion about the spread of coronavirus, after a member of the organization said asymptomatic spread of coronavirus is “rare.” Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove made the correction saying that as much as 40 percent of transmission may take place in people with no symptoms.

Dr. Sharkawy agreed that asymptomatic spread of the virus is less “rare” than the WHO stated earlier in the week.

He also expressed concern that mixed messaging may lead people to believe that coronavirus has disappeared as Ontario begins stage two of reopening businesses.

“When you hear a message like we heard the other day from the WHO that increases the level of anxiety that a lot of us have surrounding this issue, that people may think that this is not a threat anymore,” noted Dr. Sharkawy.

“That If you are sick or are around somebody who’s sick, that they must be evidently so for you to be at risk. We certainly don’t want that to be the message.”

Dr. Sharkawy says that Ontarians must stay vigilant as they begin to make more interactions in order to reduce spreading the virus.

“Warmer weather doesn’t mean that this pandemic is over. We’re seeing some important steps with respect to progress here in Ontario, and we want to make sure that we don’t undermine that by becoming too lax in our efforts to maintain the discipline that we need.”

Dr. Sharkawy also wanted to clarify the difference between presymptomatic and asymptomatic.

“Asymptomatic infections are those in which you have COVID-19 but you show absolutely no symptoms through the entirety of your course of infection,” he said.

“Presymptomatic refers to that period of time that you’re not showing any symptoms before you actually develop the disease and you feel sick.”

“The message going forward in terms of our need to distance and to exercise good hand-hygiene and to do all the same things we’ve been doing to prevent transmission from one person to the next.”