How to buy food safely, order food with delivery and takeaway during a pandemic

During quarantine, authorities recommend limiting yourself to only “essential products” and leaving home “only in case of emergency,” writes Air force. The government also advises “taking advantage of food delivery” whenever possible. But how to do this safely?

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Risks in the store

Coronavirus spreads with coughing and sneezing of a sick person. Tiny droplets of saliva and mucus enter the air, on the surface, and can cause infection if someone breathes them or touches objects.

Therefore, going to the supermarket or store where you are near many people is already associated with risk.

Social distance of at least 2 meters is important. Therefore, many stores limit the number of people inside and require customers to keep a distance.

Professor Sally Bloomfield, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said supermarkets were an "ideal environment" for transmission of the virus.

“Many people touch surfaces and objects in the supermarket — conveyor belt at the cash register, credit cards, buttons of automatic teller machines and ATMs, paper checks and so on. Not to mention you're around other people." She remarked.

How to reduce these risks:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, or treat them with an alcohol-based disinfectant before and after shopping.
• Touching surfaces, food carts, baskets, packages, and other products, do not touch your face.
• Use contactless payment methods.

Shopping

There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted through food. In addition, careful preparation and processing of products destroys the virus.

However, the main problem is packaging, which affects a large number of people.

“Products in containers or bags must either be left standing for 72 hours before use or wiped down with a bleach solution or alcohol.” — says Professor Bloomfield.

“Rinse unpackaged fresh produce, such as fruits and vegetables, thoroughly under running water and leave to dry.” — adds the scientist.

On the subject: How to properly process products so as not to become infected with coronavirus

Is food delivery safe?

Food delivery is safer than going to the store, because this way you can avoid contact with people. The only risk is possible contamination of the bags.

Food safety expert and blogger Dr. Lisa Akerli suggests leaving a note on the front door asking the courier to call and take a few steps back.

“Wiping surfaces with simple household bleach, diluted as directed on the package, neutralizes the virus within one minute,” — notes Dr. James Hill of Warwick Medical School.

“Using food delivery from a store is as safe as asking a friend or volunteer to buy groceries,” — explains Professor Alison Sinclair, a virologist at the University of Sussex.

Some experts advise, among other things, the use of disposable plastic bags during this pandemic.

What about takeaway food?

Many local restaurants have pivoted their business to takeout service. Well-known chains and reputable restaurants try to adhere to strict hygiene rules. Therefore, it should be safe to buy a freshly prepared meal to take away.

To reduce the risk of contamination of the packaging, immediately transfer the dish to a clean home container, Professor Bloomfield advises.

“Throw the container into a garbage bag and wash your hands thoroughly before eating, — adds a specialist. — Take food out of the container with a spoon, and eat it with a knife and fork — not with your fingers."

On the subject: Pizza with pineapple and Corona beer: what products do not buy in the USA even in a crisis

Under current circumstances, it is better to order hot, freshly prepared food than cold and raw ingredients.

The Food Standards Agency stresses that "there is no reason to avoid delivering prepared food as long as it has been prepared and packaged correctly."

If you are at risk or want to take extra care, re-process the thermally ordered dishes.

“Let’s say you can put pizza in the microwave for a couple of minutes,” — advised by professor bloomfield.

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