Example of how sophisticated air circulation equipment may help resturants revive

How one restaurant’s experiment may help diners breathe safely Sierra Mar, a resort restaurant in Big Sur, Calif., has added new technology to reduce possible transmission of coronavirus and other of airborne pathogens. Chris Mooney, Aaron Steckelberg, Jake Crump Washington Post

When California’s Monterey County allowed restaurants to reopen in March, indoor dining returned to the cliff-perched Sierra Mar, known for its spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.

The Big Sur restaurant now featured some new pandemic touches: 18 tabletop mini-purifiers, 10 precisely distributed HEPA air purifiers, an upgraded heating and air conditioning system, and four sensors measuring the air quality in real time.

Indoor dining remains risky, as the pandemic rages on, propelled by highly transmissible new coronavirus variants that threaten gains from widespread vaccination. The virus has been brutal for the restaurant industry. The National Restaurant Association estimates a loss of $240 billion in bar and restaurant sales and 2.5 million jobs during 2020. President Biden’s covid-19 stimulus package provides $25 billion in grants for restaurants and bars that lost revenue, but thousands of restaurants already have shut down permanently.

Those struggling to hold on are considering a broad range of air ventilation and filtration techniques to keep customers and staff safe. Sierra Mar’s new air-quality experiment, partly funded by a regional foundation, cost about $30,000. That’s a hefty expenditure that might be out of reach for many restaurants running on thin profit margins. ...

These experiments in the restaurant industry may usher in a new data-driven relationship with indoor air, with people able to judge where they dine, vacation and work based on the quality and transparency of real-time readings. ...