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Grocery shopping is a part of life in modern society. But if you are concerned about COVID, you may want some ideas about ways to help minimize exposure as much as possible. It’s during your weekly food shop that you’re most likely to come into contact with new people – and therefore more likely to catch or spread the virus. If you are part of an at risk category, see if your grocery store has certain hours just for these types of shoppers. While grocery stores have taken many safety measures to reduce the virus spreading, it’s worth taking a few of your own safety measures if you want to minimize the risk.
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Below are just a few tips for staying safe while grocery shopping.
Shop online
The most obvious way to stay safe is to avoid physical stores altogether and shop online. This isn’t completely fail safe but could limit exposure. In many cases, deliveries don’t cost any more than shopping in store. The biggest drawback of online shopping is that it requires forward planning – many stores have limited delivery slots, which means you may not always be able to get a delivery on the day or even for the next day. Don’t wait until you’ve run out of food to make your order.
I love love love using at store pickup and my neighbor pays a yearly fee for grocery delivery and loves it! It is so much better for my meal planning and budget and saves tons of time. Plus, I don’t have to worry as much about catching COVID or any other illness that might be going around. I did have to try a couple of the local stores first to see which one is most reliable for quality of fresh produce but after some trial and error I have found a store that’s sooo great!
Choose a store you trust
Some stores have been stricter with safety precautions than others. This includes sanitizing baskets and self-scanners after every use and limiting numbers of customers into stores. If you’ve noticed that a shop doesn’t seem to be taking such measures, it may be better to avoid this store.
Keep your distance
Out of habit, you may find yourself reaching over people to reach shelves or queueing closely to people. Try to make a conscious effort to keep six feet apart at all times. If your regular store doesn’t allow this, consider whether it’s worth trying another store.
Bring hand sanitizer
In case you touch a surface that is contaminated, it’s worth bringing hand sanitizer with you to use before and after you enter the store. There are many trusted brands such as Zylast that will sterilize your hands so that you’re less likely to contract Covid or pass it on. Some stores will provide their own hand sanitizer at the entrance. Plus, you will want to sanitize the cart or basket you use for shopping and possibly even the credit card machine that is used. After shopping remember to sanitize your hands as well.
Wear a mask
Most US states have made masks mandatory in indoor public spaces. Even if this isn’t the case in your state, for most people it’s worth wearing a mask every time you go shopping to protect yourself and others. Be sure to wear a mask that has a high rating for blocking particulates. Keep a mask in your jacket pocket or in your car so that you don’t forget.
Don’t sanitize your food
According to an NPR article, there’s no scientific evidence to show that the virus can live on food or packaging. If you follow this article, you don’t have to sanitize everything when you get back home but might want to consider washing items with soap and water. Besides, it could be dangerous to sanitize items like fruit due to the chemicals found in sanitizers (although be sure to wash them).
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To wear gloves or Not?
It’s safer to not wear gloves than it is to wear gloves unless you are in certain circumstances. Studies show that the virus can survive longer on most glove materials than on our hands. Plus, if you are prone to touch your face often, this might be more likely to infect yourself than if you aren’t wearing gloves. It’s also much easier to regularly sanitize our hands than it is to clean our gloves. This is something you will have to decide depending on your circumstances.
These are not fail proof ways to keep from getting COVID or any illness. But if we follow smart practices while grocery shopping, these ideas will hopefully lesson the likelihood of catching a sickness. What are your go to tips for shopping during COVID?
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