KEEPING YOUR GROCERIES SAFE
BY CHRISTOPHER NAGY
When the Michigan stay-at-home order was extended until the end of April, the opportunity to take advantage of one of the few exceptions under the rule could seem like a big deal Grocery shopping has been a great way to get out of the house for some. For others, it has been an anxietyinducing experience.
Getting those groceries home and making sure they were not carrying any virus on them rattled even more nerves. As of this writing, there is no indication that the governor’s urging to remain indoors to protect the welfare of the wider community has been eased this month. However, even if the state has reopened for business on a wide scale, it will still be critical to take steps of precaution to protect yourself and your family for the foreseeable future. “Don’t let anyone get any false ideas that when we decide at a proper time when we’re going to be relaxing some of the restrictions, there’s no doubt you’re going to see cases. I would be so surprised if we didn’t see cases,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told reporters at an April 10 press briefing of the coronavirus task force.
Photo by Morgan Hale
Wearing a mask and gloves may still be an important step to protect yourself from others when visiting populated areas like grocery stores since COVID-19 is most commonly transmitted between people. Although many health experts indicate the risk of contracting COVID-19 from surfaces is fairly low, on its website, the World Health Organization states the coronavirus can remain alive on surfaces
up to several days. Because of that, some people might feel the need to disinfect what you brought home from the grocery store in an effort of increased security. Here’s some tips for those who want to pursue this practice: •
Separate counter area for clean items and items not yet disinfected.
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Lightly wipe down any packaging with a disinfecting wipe.
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Do not use disinfectant on fruits and vegetables, but wash those items under running water.
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Wash your hands when you have completed the task.
Finally, remember that even if restrictions are eased, there will still be a timeframe where the virus could spread. Continue to limit the number of trips needed to go to the store and continue to practice social distancing recommendations when you do.■
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