What to Do When You're Craving Your Favorite Restaurant in a Pandemic
A couple of weeks ago, the number of Coronavirus cases in Lagos hit 11 and the State Government hit the panic stations. The schools have since been asked to send kids home and public gatherings with over 50 people have been banned. There’s talk of a shutdown on the horizon, but that’s probably not going to happen.
A shutdown can’t happen, we’re way too poor for that.
At first, the restaurants (and everyone else, to be honest), thought prioritizing personal hygiene was all that was needed. But, as the cases have continued to balloon, they’ve begun to take more drastic stances. In their defense, Nigeria has shut down its airports as well.
Lagos State hasn’t, at the time of writing, stated its official position, but restaurants across the state are either shutting down completely or pivoting to delivery and take-out. It could be trend hopping or maybe they know something that we all don’t, i.e. this thing is going to get worse.
If you, like me, absolutely abhor eating home cooked food, this is a pure nightmare scenario. The thought of going into the kitchen to do any cooking is already stressing me out so I’m very onboard with the “pivot to delivery” strategy. It does bring up some small concerns over food safety and, to some the degree, the ethics of it all. If this is going to be as bad as they say it is, am I a terrible person for letting someone else risk their life to get me food?
Yeah, the ethics of it all is a bit heavy.
Safety, though, should be the least of your worries. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll get the coronavirus from food prepared at a restaurant. The odds of the virus spreading through cooked food are very slim. It almost doesn’t even matter if the person cooking the food has the virus. The risk on exists in the potential for contamination after cooking. Like, the infected person sneezing on your salad or something.
As long as the food is handled properly, you’ll be “fine”.
That last bit, though, is heavily dependent on the health and safety standards of the restaurant in question. If you didn’t trust their food handling pre-coronavirus, then you might want to stay away.
For food deliveries, you want to minimize person-to-person contact as much as possible. Pay, via card or bank transfer, before delivery. This is perfect time to drop Pay On Delivery like a bad habit because there’s no need for you and the delivery rider to engage, the rider can calmly place your order right outside your door or gate.
If you choose to pick up, the same payment rules apply. There’s no need to speak to anyone. Call ahead to confirm your order is ready.
If you’re really afraid, I’d recommend moving your order from the takeout container to a plate. Trash the takeout container and wash your hands. Now, go forth and order that burger you’re craving.