Coronavirus: Expert's advice on how to disinfect groceries at home to reduce risk of contamination
The Coronavirus pandemic is a crisis to which we have all grown accustomed by now. Our daily lives, as well as our social interactions, have changed drastically in just a matter of weeks. Governments across the world have ordered their citizens to stay at home, closing all non-essential businesses and gathering places without a definite reopening date. One of the only places people are still permitted to frequent (though not without certain restrictions) is the supermarket.
Since everyone is still permitted to go to grocery shopping, that means that supermarkets have become the new "high-risk" places for contamination. Many news networks and government officials have already begun offering advice on how to reduce one's risk of contracting the virus after grocery shopping. The information they have provided, however, is at times confusing. That's why we felt it was important to share what some health experts are advising people to do after coming home from the supermarket.
via Healthline
Let's start by stating the obvious: the moment you're most at risk for contracting the virus is when you're in close contact with other people. Make sure you keep at least 6 feet worth of distance between you and other grocery shoppers.
It's also obvious that we can't avoid touching things at the supermarket. If we did this, we'd all end up going hungry (although that would solve the everyone's problem with panic buying!). According to Charlotte Baker, a Professor of Epidemiology at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, we should always assume that all objects and surface areas at the supermaket have already been contaminated.
This is why we should also pay close attention to our groceries when we bring them home. Elizabeth Andress, a professor at Georgia University, suggested that, as an extra precaution, we should disinfect canned and packaged foods whenever we can.
Once finished, it's also important to wash and disinfect whatever surface area you used to clean/disinfect your food. Even the bags you used to carry your grocery items in should be disinfected, especially if you plan on reusing them. The last thing you should do - and should do regardless of the situation - is wash your hands. Also, make sure not to touch your face with your hands before you wash them.
Last but not least, You should never wash your food with soap or any other type of detergent, as they are a risk to our health. If you absolutely feel the need to clean your food, wash your them with just water or with a little bit of baking soda added to it.
The above advice from various health experts might seem excessive, but it's a small sacrifice to make to prevent ourselves from contracting the virus. If adopting these safety measure means staying healthy and Coronavirus-free, why wouldn't you follow them?
