Should I Disinfect My Groceries?
Most people are staying at home to slow the rate of COVID19 infections. But there are a few exceptions to stay-at-home orders, one of which is grocery shopping.
While some people are making use of delivery services, many others regularly leave the house to stock up on food, toiletries and medicine. But how does one shop safely during a pandemic? And more importantly, what should be done to groceries once they get home?
The Danger Lies in Other People, Not Groceries
A lot of people are concerned about the dangers of handling items that were touched by other shoppers. But the real risk of transmission and contraction comes from being in a grocery store with an infected person. While there is a likelihood that you could contract the virus from contaminated surfaces, most transmission comes from respiratory droplets, which you could come into contact with when you’re around other people.
Avoid Crowded Shops and Malls
Try your best to shop at a grocery store that limits the number of people it lets in at a time. It might cause a long line outside the store, but it also makes it easier to social distance inside the store. Once you are in the store, try to get in and out as quickly as possible. This can be done by writing up a grocery list before you leave the house.
Wear Your Mask Properly
Research indicates that people can spread the virus long before they exhibit any symptoms. This makes it harder to know who is infected, as they might not know either. This is why it’s important to wear a face covering. But it’s not enough to just cover your mouth; your face covering also has to go over your nose and under your chin. Make sure you put on your mask properly, as it is not advised to touch it once it is on.
Sanitize Your Trolley and Hands
By now, most people do not leave their hands without a bottle of hand sanitizer. When you get to the grocery store, sanitize not just your hands, but the trolley handle as well. Once you have sanitized your hands and trolley, do not touch your face until you have sanitized them again.
Wash Your Hands When You Get Back Home
There is a hypothetical situation that many people worry about when they go shopping. A person sneezes onto their hand before they go into a store and use the same hand to touch an item they end up leaving in the store. But even if someone else eventually touches that item, infection is not guaranteed. They would have to get enough virus particles to mount an infection, and then transfer the particles to their face. The bottom line is that if you have healthy hand hygiene habits — which includes washing your hands with hand soap before and after unpacking groceries — the risk of infection is very low. Instead of asking yourself whether you should disinfect groceries, the proper question should be: “how do germs spread”? Remembering the link between health and hygiene will help you decide which precautions to take. This article was supplied by NP Digital.
