Going to the grocery store has become quite a process during this pandemic. Waiting in line to shop and then the process of wiping groceries down once you get back home. It can all add to the current stress of the day. Hang in there, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Our days of wiping down bags of groceries might be over according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Both the CDC and WHO agree that the primary way you contract coronavirus is via person-to-person contact. This rules out the odds of being infected by touching food packaging while grocery shopping. Previously the CDC's coronavirus guidelines warned that "it may be possible" to contract the virus through contaminated surfaces and objects, the website now lists "touching surfaces or objects" as an unlikely way of becoming infected by COVID-19. So, the next time you are at the grocery store you can relax knowing that the virus isn't lying in wait for you on your next box of cereal.
Three ways that you can contract the virus are:
- Being in close contact with another person (closer than six feet).
- Via respiratory droplets from an infected person that are either inhaled into your lungs or happen to land on your mouth or nose when they cough, sneeze, or talk.
Major deterrents in stopping the spread of the disease are:
- Wear a face mask
- Keep a safe social distance from others at all times
- Keep washing your hands frequently and be mindful of touching your face