Is it safe to go to grocery stores during the COVID-19 pandemic and what precautions should I take?

Is it safe to go to grocery stores during the COVID-19 pandemic and what precautions should I take?

Yes, it is generally safe to go grocery shopping and to markets by following the below prevention measures:• Clean your hands with sanitizer before entering the store.• Cover a cough or sneeze in your bent elbow or tissue.• Maintain at least a 1-metre distance from others, and if you can’t maintain this distance, wear a mask (many stores now require a mask).• Once home, wash your hands thoroughly and also after handling and storing your purchased products. There is currently no confirmed case of COVID-19 transmitted through food or food packaging.

Can I get infected with the coronavirus disease from the groceries I buy?

Currently there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19.

What should I do when shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Practice social distancing while shopping – keeping at least 6 feet between you, other shoppers, and store employees. Keep your hands away from your face. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds when you return home and again after you put away your groceries.

Are grocery workers at risk from the coronavirus disease?

As a grocery or food retail worker, potential sources of exposures include close contact for prolonged periods of time with a customer with COVID-19 and touching your nose, mouth, or eyes after handling items, cash, or merchandise that customers with COVID-19 have touched.

Can the coronavirus spread via feces?

There is some evidence that COVID-19 infection may lead to intestinal infection and be present in faeces. However, to date only one study has cultured the COVID-19 virus from a single stool specimen. There have been no reports of faecal−oral transmission of the COVID-19 virus to date.

What is the incubation period of the coronavirus disease?

The incubation period of COVID-19, which is the time between exposure to the virus and symptom onset, is on average 5-6 days, but can be as long as 14 days. Thus, quarantine should be in place for 14 days from the last exposure to a confirmed case.

Should you meet with other people during the COVID-19 pandemic?

In this difficult period it is best to meet virtually but if you have to meet others, do it carefully and with the right precautions.

Can the coronavirus disease be transmitted in hot or humid climates?

From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

Under what conditions does COVID-19 spread easily?

Any situation in which people are in close proximity to one another for long periods of time increases the risk of transmission. Indoor locations, especially settings where there is poor or no ventilation, are riskier than outdoor locations.Transmission can occur more easily in the “Three C’s”:• Crowded places with many people nearby;• Close-contact settings, especially where people have conversations very near each other;• Confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. The risk of COVID-19 spreading is higher in places where these “3Cs” overlap.

What is the most likely ecological reservoirs for coronavirus disease?

The most likely ecological reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2 are bats, but it is believed that the virus jumped the species barrier to humans from another intermediate animal host. This intermediate animal host could be a domestic food animal, a wild animal, or a domesticated wild animal which has not yet been identified.

What should I do if I feel unwell during the COVID-19 pandemic?

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What precautions can I take to avoid contracting COVID-19?

Who is most at risk for COVID-19?

COVID-19 is often more severe in people 60+yrs or with health conditions like lung or heart disease, diabetes or conditions that affect their immune system.​

How to stay active during the COVID-19 quarantine?

Can contact tracing help in controlling the spread of COVID-19?

Yes, when systematically applied, contact tracing will break the chains of transmission, meaning that the virus transmission can be stopped. Contact tracing is thus an essential public health tool for controlling infectious disease outbreaks, such as COVID-19.

Can COVID-19 cause severe disease?

While COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, most people will experience only mild or moderate symptoms. That said, this coronavirus can cause severe disease in some people.

Can the coronavirus disease be transmitted through water?

Drinking water is not transmitting COVID-19. And, if you swim in a swimming pool or in a pond, you cannot get COVID-19 through water. But what can happen, if you go to a swimming pool, which is crowded and if you are close to other the people and if someone is infected, then you can be of course affected.

Do COVID-19 and tuberculosis spread in the same way?

Do smokers get more severe symptoms of COVID-19 if infected?

Smoking any kind of tobacco reduces lung capacity and increases the risk of many respiratory infections and can increase the severity of respiratory diseases. COVID-19 is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs. Smoking impairs lung function making it harder for the body to fight off coronaviruses and other respiratory diseases. Available research suggests that smokers are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 outcomes and death.

What surfaces should be cleaned during the COVID-19 pandemic?

High-touch surfaces in these non-health care settings should be identified for priority disinfection such as door and window handles, kitchen and food preparation areas, counter tops, bathroom surfaces, toilets and taps, touchscreen personal devices, personal computer keyboards, and work surfaces.

How can I protect myself from COVID-19 if it spreads in my community?

If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, stay safe by taking some simple precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning your hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue. Check local advice where you live and work. Do it all!

What type of hand sanitizer is effective against the virus that causes COVID-19?

Hand sanitizers need to have an alcohol content between 60% and 95% and they are usually isopropyl alcohol, ethanol (ethyl alcohol), or n-propanol. Alcohol-based sanitizers are known to be able to kill bacteria and viruses effectively when used externally.

Are there face masks that should not be worn during the COVID-19 pandemic?

What are foods to avoid during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Can fans be used safely inside during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Air blowing from an infected person directly at another person in a closed space increases the risk of the virus spreading from one person to another.If COVID-19 is circulating in your community and the use of a table or pedestal fan is unavoidable, it is important to regularly bring in air from outside by opening windows or doors, while minimizing how much air blows from one person (or group of people) to another person (or group of people).

How long does the virus that causes COVID-19 last on surfaces?

Recent research evaluated the survival of the COVID-19 virus on different surfaces and reported that the virus can remain viable for up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel, up to four hours on copper, and up to 24 hours on cardboard.

How should I wash fruits and vegetables in the time of COVID-19?

Wash fruit and vegetables the same way you would in any other circumstance. Before handling them, wash your hands with soap and water. Then wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with clean water, especially if you eat them raw.

Can I get COVID-19 from eating fresh foods, like fruits and vegetables?

There is currently no evidence that people can catch COVID-19 from food, including fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy diet and their consumption should be encouraged.

What causes COVID-19?

COVID-19 is caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus strain.

Can people with mild COVID-19 symptoms recover at home?

People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home. On average it takes 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.