Stay Home, Work Safe

Coronavirus lockdown and prevention requires all of us to stay indoors and maintain social distancing. But we need to step out to buy essentials like groceries and medicines. The novel coronavirus is not thought to be transmissible via food, but it can stay on surfaces for several days, including packaging material for foods. It is thus necessary to take extra precautionary measures while going grocery shopping as well as when handling and storing groceries at home. The Association of Surgeons of India, shares the following tips as part of shopping advisory in times of coronavirus outbreak:  

1. Groceries must be washed copiously with water. Anything that you bring from outside has to be considered to be potentially infected.
2. Before washing groceries, do wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
3. Also wash your hands after cooking or after you do the dishes.
4. Make sure that you discard the container of groceries in a closed dustbin. This should be done after washing your hands. After having discarded the container, wash your hands again.
5. Wash your hands before and after cooking vegetables.
6. Ensure only one member of the house, preferably the healthiest, goes out to buy essentials.
7. Keep a sanitiser handy with you and avoid touching surfaces.
8. Sanitise or wash hands after touching shopping carts, handles, or payment machines.
9. Once back home, leave the shopping containers outside and consider taking a shower in the meanwhile.