you are immunocompromised or just feeling
extra wary, you may want to consider ordering
cooked food only rather than uncooked items
such as sandwiches. That way don’t have to
worry too much about a sick chef transmitting
it to you via your food.
There are no rules in terms of how to remove
food from takeout containers, but you’d prob-ably
be safest putting it on your own plate
or container, throwing out the takeout con-tainer
and washing your hands before eating.
Wipe counters and other surfaces where you
unpacked the food.
Some Tips: Pay (and tip) in advance. Let the
driver leave the food at the door. Wait until
the driver is at least 6 feet away or gone before
picking up the food.
WHERE DOES THE VIRUS LURK OR NOT
(Adapted from New York Times, April
18, 2020)
GENERAL FACTS TO CONSIDER FOR
THE FOLLOWING COMMON QUESTIONS:
A droplet small enough to float in air for a
while is unlikely to deposit on clothing. They
follow the air flow around a person. While
a sneeze or cough from an infected person
can propel viral droplets and smaller particles
through the air, most of them will drop to the
ground.
COMMON QUESTIONS:
Should I change my clothes and shower
when I come home from the grocery store?
Making only occasional trips to the grocery
store it’s not necessary. But always wash your
hands. If you’re out shopping and somebody
sneezes on you, then you probably do want to
go home, change and shower.
Is there a risk that the virus could be in
my hair or beard? You should not be worried
about viral contamination of your hair or beard
if you are practicing social distancing. You
would have to touch that part of your hair or
clothing that has those droplets, which already
have a significant reduction in viral particles,
then touch your face, to come into contact
with it.
Should I worry about doing laundry and
sorting clothes? Routine laundry should not
cause worry. Wash it as you normally would.
The coronavirus is vulnerable to soap. Washing
your clothes in regular laundry detergent,
followed by the dryer is more than enough
to remove the virus . The exception is if you
are in close contact with a sick person. Wear
gloves when cleaning up after someone who
is sick, and take care not to shake laundry
and bedding. Use the warmest water setting
possible and dry completely. Leaving laundry
to sit for a while also reduces risk, because the
virus will dry out and decay.
Should I be concerned about the mail,
packages or the newspaper? The risk of
getting sick from handling mail or packag-es
is extremely low and, at this point, only
theoretical. There are no documented cases.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take
precautions. After handling mail or packag-es
or reading the newspaper, dispose of the
packaging and wash your hands. If you still
feel anxious about it, let mail and packages sit
for 24 hours before handling them.
How much should I worry about con-tamination
if I go outside? Your chances of
catching the virus when you go outdoors is
extremely low, provided you’re keeping a safe
distance from others. Any infectious droplets
exhaled outside would be quickly diluted in
outdoor air, so their concentrations would
quickly become insignificant.
When I get home from a trip outside should
I remove my shoes and wipe them down?
Cleaning the soles of shoes with a wipe is not
recommended. It brings germs that would stay
on the sole of your shoe or on the ground
directly to your hands. Become a shoe-free
household!
SUMMARY
The CDC still considers the best way to
control the spread of COVID-19 is to wash
your hands frequently with soap and water or
an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, practice social
distancing, cover your coughs and sneezes, stay
home if you’re not feeling well and disinfect
surfaces and objects on a regular basis. If you
have questions regarding coronavirus, call your
doctor or local health department.
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