Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, MPH, MPA, global director of ICAP, was consulted for an Oct 28 article in the Washington Post, which examined whether clear, igloo-like structures being used to accommodate outdoor dinning are effective in managing the spread of the coronavirus. The temporary structures have started popping up in U.S. cities where cold weather threatens outdoor dining that restaurants have turned to in their attempt to stay afloat during the pandemic.While the bubbles are physically out in the open air, enclosing people inside may be akin to creating indoor dining, outdoors. Dr. El Sadr says:
“The igloo structures and tents “seem to be quite tight. Therefore, there’s not much cross-ventilation that’s happening, and often they even will close the windows or zip up the windows and the doors of the enclosure.”