Most officials and authorities have been strictly imposing social distancing guidelines and lockdowns in the last few months. This isn’t a surprise since much of the transmissions are related to people coming in contact with each other. For the most part, if people don’t have anything else better to do, they’re encouraged to stay home to help flatten the curve.
But in the last few months, restrictions and rules have been slowly lifted, and there’s bound to be more people out and about. Since more people are going out, many establishments are now more confident in re-opening as a means of bouncing back from a slump of traffic in the last few months.
However, most parents don’t have the luxury of just staying at home during the pandemic: moms and dads will have to work to put food on the table and buy food and other essentials from the grocery store. Thus, parents are stuck in a rock and a hard place: if they stay at home all the time, it will be hard bringing in essentials for the family, so most parents will need to “take their chances” by getting groceries and going to work.
But even though most people are anxious about the looming threat of contracting COVID-19, there are still some tried and tested ways of mitigating the likelihood of getting infected during these tumultuous times.
Know Where You’re Going To
First and foremost, it’s important to know where you’re going. Having a plan and knowing the place that you’re currently going to can help minimize your risk of infection and the time needed in picking the right groceries. You’ll need to ask yourself the following questions:
- Was there a positive case in that particular area that you’re going to?
- Are all the necessities present in the place that you’re going to?
- Do you have the necessary personal protective equipment?
- How far is the establishment that you’re going to?
- Does the place get a lot of foot traffic now and then?
It’s also important to note that you’ll need to go to a grocery store with good ventilation and air circulation. Some studies suggest that the coronavirus travels through droplets that are released through coughing and sneezing. If this is the case, being in an establishment with poor ventilation can increase your chances of getting infected.
You also might want to consider going to a commercial establishment that has been evaluated with an EICR for commercial properties. When a business establishment or a residential building has been evaluated and approved by an electrician, the electrical systems are considered to be in good working condition, minimizing the risk of hazards. This can also affect the ventilation system and much of the air circulation in the area.
Quick In And Out
When you’ve made final decisions on where you want to go, it’s important to have the right equipment and disinfectants (such as rubbing alcohol) for your hands and your skin. Still, the best way of preventing infection is by abiding by social distancing regulations and limiting your contact with others.
Having a list of groceries that you’ll need and help cut down on time. The less time that’s needed, the less likely you’ll be exposed to the virus. Most experts would also suggest paying via a debit or credit card since this is a faster means of paying while also reducing contact with surfaces, such as money.
Make Minimal Contact
Other than just spreading through the airways, various virulent materials will also spread through surfaces. This means that store shelves, boxes, and the handles of doors can potentially become contaminated. You should limit any contact with these surfaces, especially those that can easily make contact with the public.
Minimizing contact to surfaces means you’ll need to get to the right places without unnecessarily touching items that you’re not going to buy.
Consider How It’s Packaged
Although most of us wouldn’t really care about the packaging, it’s a factor that we will need to take into account. Although the Food Standards Agency would suggest that COVID-19 doesn’t transmit through packaging, one can’t be too sure when it comes to keeping yourself safe.
When it comes to packaged food that doesn’t have a long shelf-life, you might want to wash them as soon as you get home, especially right before you cook.
When you’re shopping, you don’t necessarily have to go through too many hoops. As long as you’re abiding by public health regulations and rules within your area, your chances of getting infected are quite low. Still, it doesn’t hurt to have some extra measures in keeping yourself safe, especially when your family depends on it.
