Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Said He Will Not Dine Indoors Because The ‘Risk Is Too High’

Photo credit: CBS Photo Archive - Getty Images
Photo credit: CBS Photo Archive - Getty Images

From Delish

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the United States, the CDC is urging people to be vigilant about wearing a mask, social distancing, and doing their part in helping to reduce the spread of the virus. In a recent appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration Dr. Scott Gottleib said eating inside a restaurant is far too risky even if all the proper precautions are taken.

In conversation with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Gottleib talked about how he has been shopping at big box stores while properly masked, but that he will not be eating indoors at restaurants this winter: "I’ve been eating outdoors since the summertime and wouldn’t eat indoors in a restaurant. I think the risk is too high to be in a confined space without a mask on with other people eating in that same location right now," he said during the program.

Gottleib went on to say that it's "hard to debate" the fact that indoor dining is much riskier than shopping at a large retail store. Even if restaurants are taking all of the CDC's recommended precautions for safety inside of their establishments, eating indoors is still inherently problematic when it comes to managing the spread of coronavirus, he explained.

"People who eat indoors are talking loudly in many cases, and again you’re not wearing a mask. You’re in a confined space. I think there’s no question that’s a higher risk," he elaborted

You can watch the full interview here.

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