NWH: COVID-19 Food & Shopping Safety
NWH: COVID-19 Food & Shopping Safety: Northern Westchester Hospital’s Director of Infection Prevention, Kristine Goldstein published a detailed guide on health and safety best practices when grocery shopping, unpacking grocery bags, ordering food delivery and more. Her comprehensive Q&A on the topic is a must read for anyone who wonders when they are out shopping – ‘Should I even be here?’In fact, the first question she tackles is “Should I go food shopping?”
Obviously, if you have COVID symptoms you shouldn’t. But if you are healthy, Kristine says “go with a purpose – and a list so you don’t have to go back,” The key she says is to “spend as little time in food stores as possible.” Everyone should read her post in its entirety. She takes you through the safest way to enter the store, mask protocols, and best practices on wearing gloves, using credit cards, sanitizing (in-store and out), unpacking, cleaning fruits and vegetables, packaged goods and more. In other words, she’s been living in your head and she answers all your questions.
While she stresses the importance of hand washing (before and after every step on the way) there are a few principles of the virus she stresses that should offer some relief. The virus does not get absorbed through your skin, so gloves don’t protect you in any way. “There is no evidence to date that the virus is directly transmitted from a container in your kitchen. The harm potentially occurs when you touch the package, then touch your eyes, nose or mouth. If you use proper hand hygiene at home, you are almost eliminating any risk from supermarket bags, food items or takeout containers.”
Here’s our quick takeaway of some of her best tips – but don’t take it from us. Read How to Stay Safe While Food Shopping, Getting Takeout, and Unpacking Food at Home.
NWH’s Kristin Goldstein’s COVID-19 Food Shopping Tips
Make a list!
Spend as little time in food stores as possible!
Have your mask on when leaving your car!
Sanitize your hands before handling your mask!
Bring disinfectant wipes or a sanitizer into the store with you!
Use it on the cart and your hands when entering store!
Limit touching store items!
And don’t touch your face while you are shopping!
Minimize touching the front of your mask!
Gloves do not protect you in any way!
The virus does not get absorbed through your skin – so you don’t have to wipe down items in the store!
Sanitize your hands before and after paying at the cash register.
Keep your credit card in your pocket so you don’t have to touch your wallet with potentially contaminated hands.
Then wash your hands as soon as you get back to the car!
In the car, remove your mask with the ear loops!
When you remove your mask – wash your hands again!
When you are unpacking don’t worry, the virus won’t jump off the surfaces of your shopping bags or food items.
But don’t touch your face and wash your hands after you unpack your groceries.
Rinse whatever fruit you’re eating with water.
Wash your hands before peeling fruit like a banana or orange.
When eating fruit without a peel, like strawberries, the idea is to touch it less with your fingers.
When ordering take out – Limit the physical exchange of money and minimize face-to-face interaction.
*If you are medically compromised, take extra steps like disinfecting items as they come in to your home or holding them in a safe place for two days before using them.
* If you’re older or have serious chronic disease(s), don’t go shopping if you don’t have to.
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