We all need to eat so its important to know how to protect yourself from the Coronavirus when grocery shopping. While we’re all being advised to stay away from large crowds and stay 6ft away from other people, it seems the one place we can’t avoid is the grocery store. Unfortunately, these are the most crowded places right now and it is nearly impossible to stay 6ft away from anyone when waiting in long lines and moving through tiny narrow grocery aisles. Below are some important guidelines on how to protect yourself from the coronavirus when grocery shopping.
1.Wipe Down Your Cart or Spray it with sanitizer
This you should already be doing anyway, but if you are not then this is the time to start. Every surface where it is likely hands were placed before yours, need to be sanitized.
2. Wear Gloves and sanitize your hands directly after removing them.
If you have access to gloves, start wearing them, even if you feel silly. Better safe than sorry, especially since there is no hand sanitizer left on the shelves. If you have rubbing alcohol at home, you can purchase pure glycerin and mix in 99% alcohol to 1% glycerin to create your own.
3. Do not place your purse or bags inside the cart, keep them around your shoulder.
Your handbag can easily be placed down on a surface and pick up the virus which you then spread to the surfaces of your home.
4. Take off your shoes and keep them outside your house.
This is something we do regardless. The ground is one of the dirtiest places. Just imagine the floor of a bathroom and then tracking that throughout your home. Take your shoes off and if you have worn your shoes inside, clean all of your floors and shampoo your rugs if you can.
The difference a week can make: grocery store shelves before and after coronavirus pandemic
Protect yourself from the Coronavirus when grocery shopping by wiping down all of your groceries before you put them away!
5. Wipe down all of your groceries before putting them away.
Please don’t forget this virus can live on surfaces for as long as 9 days, especially on cardboard. Please wipe down all of your groceries from milk containers to boxes of rice. Everything needs to be wiped down.
6. Do not walk down crowded isles, wait for them to clear.
I was at anxiety level 10 trying to go grocery shopping. It is nearly impossible to stay 6ft away from others, but if I noticed an aisle was crowded I patiently waited for it to clear. I even held my breath if I had to walk past people though I don’t know if that actually helps.
7. Consider doing community grocery trips with your friends and/or neighbors.
with all the technology we have, consider taking turns doing a group grocery trip. Leave the groceries on your friends’ or neighbors’ doorsteps and have them Venmo you. This may seem extreme but given the current situation in Italy, the fewer people who are exposed to others, the better.
8. Do not handle any cash, only use credit cards.
In China they began sanitizing all of their money with fears it was spreading the virus and they’re probably right. Cash and coins are full of germs and bacteria.
A line 50 people long at the Trader Joes in Irvine after Coronavirus Pandemic
9. Don’t touch your face.
Ladies, consider tying your hair back to avoid accidentally touching your face. If you have an itch, sanitize your hands first.
10. Hold Your Breath
If you have to quickly walk past a group of people, Hold Your Breath! Believe it or not, there is actually research to back this up.
“Dr. Leigh Vinocur, ER physician from the American College of Emergency Physicians, said that holding your breath for 10 to 15 seconds after someone sneezes or coughs can help ward off incoming germs. Why? According to research from MIT, droplets from someone’s sneeze or cough may travel in a germy cloud, billowing out more five to 200 times more than previously assumed. And holding your breath for a few seconds—while this cloud disperses—just may help keep that cloud from your system.”
I hope everyone finds this list helpful. Social distancing is the best thing we can do right now. Since grocery delivery services are so backed up, there is no avoiding that eventually, we’ll all need to go grocery shopping so stay vigilant to keep yourself safe. I’m wishing you all the best and if you live in Orange County, need help, and are unable to get yourself food or groceries please do not hesitate to contact me. sondra@cuisineandtravel.com
In the meantime, the best way to support our local restaurants at this time is by ordering delivery via grubhub, doordash, and ubereats. Many restaurants are also offering curbside pick up. My meal delivery service that I occasionally use is a local Newport Beach chef and she is still offering her delivery service. You need to place your orders on Saturday to arrive on Monday. My referral link is https://taylor-made-cuisine.peachs.co/r/worthy-kittens-7035
Sondra Barker
