Is It Safe To Go To The Grocery Store During The Coronavirus Outbreak?

LOADING ERROR LOADING If you’ve been to the grocery store in the last week or so, you know it can be an extremely chaotic experience amid the coronavirus pandemic. Wash your produce when you get home To rid yourself of any potential viral contamination, thoroughly wash your hands immediately upon returning home from the grocery store, said Jagdish Khubchandani, a health science professor at Indiana’s Ball State University who has studied the impact of viral outbreaks like SARS. “You can take a lot of steps like that, but they won’t provide anything more than a false sense of security,” he added, noting that “it’s not about the food that you buy, it’s about the interaction you have with other people at the grocery store.” Thus Labus said to make sure that you are following the recommended hygienic measures such as “limiting your distance to other people and make sure to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer when possible.” Richard Vayda, restaurant and culinary management instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, added that according to the U.K.’s National Health Service, spreading the virus through packages and food is unlikely. But as an extra step, you can cleanse packaging for items that you will be using immediately, “including cleaning/wiping down jars, soda cans, etc.” This, he said, is always advisable on his end, “as there can additionally be physical contaminants that are not easily visible.” If you are elderly or have chronic health conditions, take extra precautions when shopping The safest option for more vulnerable individuals is to ask someone else to do the shopping for them, said Felicia Wu, a John A. Hannah distinguished professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University. “However, it is always important to follow good hygiene practices — i.e., wash hands and surfaces often, separate raw meat from other foods, cook to the right temperature, and refrigerate foods promptly ― when handling or preparing foods,” she said.