Coronavirus

[rdc1978]

I saw a waitress refill a tea glass while resting the side of the pitcher on the rim of the glass. I talked to the manager at that location and asked if that was SOP. He said yes. I told him we were done eating there. Then I reported that location to their corporate people. We shall see what their response is.

I will be either bringing my own iced tea to restaurants or only ordering bottled water until this gets better.

A few years ago (before covid) I just started bringing my water bottle with me everywhere.

I think it was in an effort to drink more water and because I don't like disposable straws.

You should do what makes you comfortable, but I'd hate to give up good food.

 

[paradisi]

I take this pandemic very seriously so I don’t want to imply that I don’t; however, if I were that concerned about germs, (which are inevitably everywhere), I probably wouldn’t be going out to eat at all. I mean, realistically, we have no idea what goes on in the kitchen, or anywhere out of our sight for that matter.

It's a completely different level of risk. Food poisoning doesn't kill thousands of people per outbreak; restaurants are mandated to be inspected and staff to be vaccinated for hepatitis, and rightwing loons don't protest against handwashing or correct food handling.

So weird how people don't get the differences/aren't aware of the legally mandated protections all around them that make things like eating in restaurants as safe as they are.

Plus, of course, E. coli, Listeria, and other food borne pathogens are not airborne. And covid is.

 

[Tara_H]

It's a completely different level of risk. Food poisoning doesn't kill thousands of people per outbreak; restaurants are mandated to be inspected and staff to be vaccinated for hepatitis, and rightwing loons don't protest against handwashing or correct food handling.

So weird how people don't get the differences/aren't aware of the legally mandated protections all around them that make things like eating in restaurants as safe as they are.

Plus, of course, E. coli, Listeria, and other food borne pathogens are not airborne. And covid is.

Oh, I read that as not going out to eat during the pandemic, maybe your interpretation is more accurate.

 

[earlene]

I had almost no reaction to my 3rd Moderna injection, in fact I was so mildly sore in my right deltoid, it was almost not present.

But today I have my Pneumovax23 vaccine & my left deltoid is so uncomfortable I can barely tolerate moving my left arm. I don't really recall the Pneumovax13 last year being even close to this uncomfortable. Either way, I know I was relaxed and this is not from tightening my muscles. I am extremely comfortable around needles and never tense up, so it's just the nature of the beast. Of course I was forewarned and I wish I had taken an pain pill before I got home.

I had my Shingrex vaccine in my right arm & it's barely tender to touch, which is nice since that's the same place I got my #3 dose of Moderna this past Monday.

I thought I was all caught up on my vaccines, but just remembered today that I'll have to do the flu vaccine again in a couple of months (well, I guess I'm caught up for now, anyway.)

As far as food poisoning goes, it really can kill. Pregnant women, the elderly and the very young and those with compromised immune systems are more like to experience complications leading to morbidity, and of course certain microbes are more deadly than others.

And the supposed mandate for hepatitis vaccination of food workers is not the case in every locality in the United States, I don't know about elsewhere. It is apparently mandatory for ChildCare & School workers (grade-dependent) in the majority of states, but not for Food Handlers. Some jurisdictions (county or other municipalities) pass ordinances requiring it, but that is not as common as one might expect.

If interested in mandatory vaccines by state see: State Mandates on Immunization and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Hepatitis B and subsequent maps showing more detail.

 

[paradisi]

Of course people die from food poisoning; the husband of a good friend of mine very nearly did.

But the risk, from foodborne germs, is vanishingly small in comparison to the risk of death from covid.

And our national inability to understand risk is part of the problem, from fear of vaccination to scoffing at the need for masks.

We're at 2/3 of a million deaths in the USA from covid since it began less than two years ago.

By contrast, yearly deaths from food borne illnesses in the US are less than 1% of that figure:

"The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 1 in 6 Americans (48 million people) are affected by foodborne illness annually. The estimates suggest 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die. "
https://www.medscape.com/answers/175569-114358/what-is-the-prevalence-of-food-poisoning-in-the-us

 

[Rsapienza]

It's a completely different level of risk. Food poisoning doesn't kill thousands of people per outbreak; restaurants are mandated to be inspected and staff to be vaccinated for hepatitis, and rightwing loons don't protest against handwashing or correct food handling.

So weird how people don't get the differences/aren't aware of the legally mandated protections all around them that make things like eating in restaurants as safe as they are.

Plus, of course, E. coli, Listeria, and other food borne pathogens are not airborne. And covid is.

I’m not sure where this food poisoning topic came from as I said nothing about it. Possibly my use of the word “germs”?? I was referring to Covid.
You made no mention of airborne pathogens. The subject was a water pitcher touching a glass.
If you’re referring to “people” as me, I am fully aware of the protections/differences you speak of, but I am also aware that creating mandates and following said mandates are 2 totally different things. I mean….if everybody followed the law, there would be no crime

Oh, I read that as not going out to eat during the pandemic, maybe your interpretation is more accurate.

It is not. You interpreted it correctly.

 

[Vicki C]

I saw a waitress refill a tea glass while resting the side of the pitcher on the rim of the glass. I talked to the manager at that location and asked if that was SOP. He said yes. I told him we were done eating there. Then I reported that location to their corporate people. We shall see what their response is.

I will be either bringing my own iced tea to restaurants or only ordering bottled water until this gets better.

That’s disgusting. At least present a picture of sanitary practices to the customers, never mind what might go on in the kitchen.

 

[earlene]

Of course people die from food poisoning; the husband of a good friend of mine very nearly did.

But the risk, from foodborne germs, is vanishingly small in comparison to the risk of death from covid.

And our national inability to understand risk is part of the problem, from fear of vaccination to scoffing at the need for masks.

We're at 2/3 of a million deaths in the USA from covid since it began less than two years ago.

By contrast, yearly deaths from food borne illnesses in the US are less than 1% of that figure:

"The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 1 in 6 Americans (48 million people) are affected by foodborne illness annually. The estimates suggest 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die. "
https://www.medscape.com/answers/175569-114358/what-is-the-prevalence-of-food-poisoning-in-the-us

Neither Susie nor I was saying the death rate & risk of food poisoning approached that of CoVid. What we were both demonstrating by our very nearly timed experiences in establishments that provide food & beverage to the public, wherein some folks foster a cavalier attitude toward how their unhygienic practices affect other people around them (no finger pointing here at SMF, just our personal observations out in the world.) Add to that the fact that we both do have compromised immune systems, the risks for us is greater than for some other folks, but that is just an aside, however, the restaurant worker should be aware that they may serve just about anyone with just about any invisible condition that may put them more at risk than anyone else. My example was of the public itself (a woman at a water dispenser) and Susie's example was of wait-staff, AND the manager, all of whom showed blatant disregard for the welfare of the people around them by their unhygienic practices.

We were just pointing out one more example of some people we have visually seen take unhygienic risks with the public at large and in the face of today's pandemic, we were both shocked that good hygiene is given so little regard by these folks. Unhygienic practices in one area of one's life indicates there are other unhygenic practices in other areas of that person's life. I believe we were both alluding to that fact, in case that was not altogether obvious.

We are both Nurses (I am retired and Susie is still working), and if you have read our previous posts, I think you would be aware that we have a great deal of experience and knowledge on the subject of infection control, pay very close attention to the CDC and the WHO and other reputable sources in regards to CoVid as well as hand-washing, and various other public health issues, including the bigger picture of how widespread unhygienic practices puts other people at risk.

You may not realize it, but you are preaching to the choir, while not taking into account the bigger picture that we were pointing out in our own personal experiences out in the public. If your server or the restaurant manager where you eat is cavalier about good hygiene as related to drinking water, how seriously are they taking other hygienic precautions that relate to more serious risks?

I’m not sure where this food poisoning topic came from as I said nothing about it. Possibly my use of the word “germs”?? I was referring to Covid.
You made no mention of airborne pathogens. The subject was a water pitcher touching a glass.
If you’re referring to “people” as me, I am fully aware of the protections/differences you speak of, but I am also aware that creating mandates and following said mandates are 2 totally different things. I mean….if everybody followed the law, there would be no crime

Well that would certainly be nice (the no crime part.)

 

[Susie]

I am further going to say that even healthy people get very ill from food borne pathogens. My neighbor spent almost a month in the hospital and over a week in ICU from a lovely bit of restaurant carelessness. He ended up with over $1M worth of hospital bills. The health dept closed them down for quite a while as they found numerous egregious violations. And enough well-known people got ill enough that that restaurant ended up closing for good as no one was willing to go back.

I, myself, spent a week in a monitored bed with new onset atrial fibrillation after food poisoning picked up at a restaurant (I wasn't the only one that got sick, so the restaurant got a health dept. visit).

So, while food borne illnesses/sloppy restaurant habits typically do not spread through thousands of people, you don't want them to happen to you, or anyone you know.

 

[Albertina]

I live in Texas, and let's just say my opinion about masks and social distancing are not in line with our esteemed governor. And you don't even want to know my reaction when the "guidance" about what vaccinated people could or could not do came out. Let's just say that I have NOT stopped wearing my mask, even though I have had 2 vaccines. I am going for my booster in a week or so, my doctor did not want to overlap the Pneumovax 23 and co-vid vaccines.

Folks, this virus is going to be around forever in one form or another. Our hope is that we can get to the point that we just go for our yearly vaccine like the flu. The CDC and WHO are going to be doing "best guesses" on which variants to vaccinate for each year. And until then, we are going to be having outbreaks. We just need as many people as possible to get some immunity so that it no longer overwhelms our hospitals and funeral homes. Until then, I'm going to be wearing my mask and signing up for every vaccine they let me have.



I saw a waitress refill a tea glass while resting the side of the pitcher on the rim of the glass. I talked to the manager at that location and asked if that was SOP. He said yes. I told him we were done eating there. Then I reported that location to their corporate people. We shall see what their response is.

I will be either bringing my own iced tea to restaurants or only ordering bottled water until this gets better.

Excuse me. I'm Italian, what is SOP?

 

[Rsapienza]

Excuse me. I'm Italian, what is SOP?

I believe it’s “standard operating procedure”

 

[TheGecko]

I saw a waitress refill a tea glass while resting the side of the pitcher on the rim of the glass. I talked to the manager at that location and asked if that was SOP. He said yes. I told him we were done eating there. Then I reported that location to their corporate people. We shall see what their response is.

Reported what exactly? The tea was not being contaminated in any way.

 

[KobokuSoaps]

When the pandemic first started, and information started rolling in on who was going into dire health situations, mainly adults in poor health, I immediately started working on myself. I started working out and eating better and losing weight (lost 20lbs that I didn't need woohoo!), taking a multi-vitamin, doing breathing exercises to increase lung capacity. There was no vaccine at the time, no treatments, the only unknown treatment at the time was using convalescent plasma. Over the course of a year and a half now, I've seen 3 people that I know die of Covid related complications, basically suffocating to death, which I think is one of the worst ways to go. Just the thought of being forced against your will by a virus, laboring to breathe through an ever-decreasing diameter of straw until you die is terrible to think about.

I also remember when the first vaccines were being made available, the rich (probably highly educated) people in the US were flying to other states where they had abundant vaccines and could "cut the line" or people would lie about their health status to try and get the vaccine before others. Now the masses, the middle-class, the poor and uneducated have the chance to be vaccinated and yet aren't getting vaccinated for ridiculous reasons and unfounded beliefs. It's really mind-boggling.

 

[earlene]

Reported what exactly? The tea was not being contaminated in any way.

You are absolutely and entirely mistaken. It is called Indirect Person-to-Person Transmission. Once the drinking glass is delivered to the customer, it is assumed to be contaminated by either the customer's lips, finger, tongue, spittle, spoon (also probably contaminated), or other body parts. To place the underside of the pouring vessel pour-spout on the edge or lip of a used drinking glass, the vessel becomes contaminated and re-contaminated EVERY SINGLE TIME it rests atop the edge of another used drinking glass while doing a re-fill. By moving from one used drinking glass to another used drinking glass, the server is spreading contamination from one table to another table to another table, contaminating each one with each re-fill, while also picking up more contaminants with each re-fill. This is exactly how it gets contaminated. This is exactly what is wrong with this picture.

You may argue that the server doesn't really know if it is contaminated or not, but you are wrong. It can never be assumed that a glass that has left the server's possession is uncontaminated once it is out of their possession. No duly trained public health officer will tell you otherwise.

 

[Susie]

Reported what exactly? The tea was not being contaminated in any way.

So, you take a pitcher of tea and rest it against the rim of a glass. Assuming that the person drinking from the glass originally was not careful to be sure their lips touched precisely the same spot each time, and assuming again that the waitress made absolutely sure to avoid that spot touching the pitcher of tea, then sure, I will go with non-contamination. However, in the real world, a waitress that will touch the side of the pitcher with the glass someone has been drinking out of will touch the side of everyone's glass with the pitcher. So, someone else's saliva will now rest on the rim of your glass. Where your mouth will now go so that you can sip your tea.

And, considering the fact that I showed this behavior to the manager and asked him if it is standard operating procedures, and he said YES. I will never darken their door again. Even under the best of circumstances, this is unacceptable practice for a restaurant. I asked my son, who is restaurant manager for a venue that is nationwide, so he is trained for all states' health codes.

If you really don't find a problem with this behavior, you need to go take a microbiology course.

ETA: Didn't see Earlene's post before I replied, she explains it so much better than I did.

 

[TheGecko]

You are absolutely and entirely mistaken. It is called Indirect Person-to-Person Transmission. Once the drinking glass is delivered to the customer, it is assumed to be contaminated by either the customer's lips, finger, tongue, spittle, spoon (also probably contaminated), or other body parts. To place the underside of the pouring vessel pour-spout on the edge or lip of a used drinking glass, the vessel becomes contaminated and re-contaminated EVERY SINGLE TIME it rests atop the edge of another used drinking glass while doing a re-fill. By moving from one used drinking glass to another used drinking glass, the server is spreading contamination from one table to another table to another table, contaminating each one with each re-fill, while also picking up more contaminants with each re-fill. This is exactly how it gets contaminated. This is exactly what is wrong with this picture.

I stand corrected, thank you.

 

[Albertina]

I believe it’s “standard operating procedure”

Thank you!

 

[Catscankim]

I was a bartender at a local hole in the wall in Philly about 25 years ago. We were NOT to refill a glass even though every customer always said "you can use the same glass"...we always gave them a new glass. I was a kid back then and didn't understand or care why...

But the reason behind it that I later found out is that EVERY bartender touches the glass edge to the beer tap, and if somebody already drank out of that glass, then now the beer tap is contaminated, thus transferring another customers saliva to the next beer that was poured from that tap.

 

[Zing]

Ugh. My beloved wife tested positive and has mild symptoms and is isolated inside our house. I tested negative and have no symptoms. We are super careful and are vaccinated. This delta strain is scary s***, people. We have worn masks in stores since 2020. When delta took off, we went back to outdoor socializing, refused invites to indoor events, curbside pickups, etc. I'm kinda in a fog and can't believe this has happened despite all the precautions. Luckily she has mild symptoms.

 

[Babyshoes]

Ugh. My beloved wife tested positive and has mild symptoms and is isolated inside our house. I tested negative and have no symptoms. We are super careful and are vaccinated. This delta strain is scary s***, people. We have worn masks in stores since 2020. When delta took off, we went back to outdoor socializing, refused invites to indoor events, curbside pickups, etc. I'm kinda in a fog and can't believe this has happened despite all the precautions. Luckily she has mild symptoms.

Sending healing vibes and a wish that it stays mild!

Scary that even folks like yourselves who are doing everything right in terms of prevention can still catch it. At least the vaccines should mean it's a lot milder than it would otherwise have been.