Personal hygiene and frequent disinfection are extremely important, especially during this chronic COVID-19 pandemic. We should not take extra precautions when we are out from home for work or shopping. Below are some precautions that you need to take before, during and after shopping. 

Precautions Needed Before Shopping

1. Before going to the supermarket, you must plan what you want to buy to reduce the time you stay in the supermarket.

2. Do not go to the supermarket to shop if you have any respiratory disease. 

3. Avoid letting your family members who are over 60 go to the supermarket.

Precautions Needed During Shopping

1. Wipe and disinfect the shopping cart first before using it. 

2. Avoid touching other items unnecessarily because you will not know whether the COVID-19 viruses are attached to those items.

Steps Needed After shopping

1. Disinfect half of the table before bringing the items into the house. One side is used for unsterilized items, and the other side is for sterilized items.

2. Wash your hands with soap before handling the items you bought. 

3. Wipe and disinfect all the outer plastic items, and remove unnecessary paper because the virus can survive on the paper and plastic surface for 24-72 hours.

4. Open the package of food (such as bread and potato chips) and pour the food into a clean container. Avoid touching it with your hands. You can spray the disinfectant on the rag to wipe the items that cannot be unpacked, such as milk, cans, etc. If the item has a thicker package, you can also spray disinfectant directly.

5. As for the fruit, it must be soaked and washed for at least 20 seconds before being put into a clean container and refrigerated. Never put it directly in the refrigerator together with the package.

6. Heat the food must be before eating because heat can destroy the virus. 

Dr Jeffrey VanWingen, who has been a family doctor in the United States for 20 years, shared food safety tips during the epidemic on Youtube, including how to sterilize food bought from outside. Let’s learn about it now!

Remember to protect yourself before you can protect your family! Check out the long COVID, aka the effects after recovering from COVID-19.