Safely Handling Food/Groceries

[SaintsManiac]

When I buy boxes of crackers, cookies etc. I have my kids divide them into snack bags. A day or two after doing this my DD grabbed a snack bag of crackers and said they tasted like soap. They all did. All I can think of is that I had recently used kitchen spray to clean my countertops and it seeped through the baggies as they were filling them. Since then they work of of paper plates as they go. That’s what I keep thinking about when people talk about wiping down boxes with antibacterial wipes or spraying with Lysol. I’m worried people are going make themselves sick with chemicals.

I usually have a loaf of bread on my counter. Whenever I wipe that counter I make sure it’s completely dry before I put that loaf back.

I am glad I am not the only person who thinks this video is overkill. It made me think way too much about it, though. Lol

 

[Diznygrl]

Man, I tell you...as someone who has always been accused of being a 'germaphobe' just because I'm super aware of what I touch and don't touch, and always make sure my hands are washed and don't touch my face, etc...watching people who never used to pay attention to this stuff, suddenly starting to pay TOO much attention to it, has certainly been amusing.

RELAX. Just use common sense. No need to go overboard with the cleaning/disinfecting. If you freak out about every single tiny thing that you think has even the most minuscule possibility of infecting you with coronavirus, you will literally make yourself go insane.

 

[Kittyblue]

It isn't a good idea. It's wasteful, encourages panic/anxiety and does nothing.

To each their own. It's not like I'm shouting from the rooftops for everyone else to wipe down their grocery packages, too, so I don't see how I'm inciting panic. I don't think it's wasteful or that it does nothing so I'm going to keep doing it. I never used to wipe groceries down and won't in the future, but as long as I'm shopping for my mom and interacting with her I'll be wiping down what I can.

 

[mombrontrent]

Man, I tell you...as someone who has always been accused of being a 'germaphobe' just because I'm super aware of what I touch and don't touch, and always make sure my hands are washed and don't touch my face, etc...watching people who never used to pay attention to this stuff, suddenly starting to pay TOO much attention to it, has certainly been amusing.

RELAX. Just use common sense. No need to go overboard with the cleaning/disinfecting. If you freak out about every single tiny thing that you think has even the most minuscule possibility of infecting you with coronavirus, you will literally make yourself go insane.

Exactly! I feel the same way, my husband always says I’m a germaphobe because I’m very aware of what I’ve been touching and washing my hands a lot. I always wash all prep areas and my hands before cooking and eating. Wash my hands after coming in the house, and don’t touch my phone while eating ect. I have always been this way and haven’t changed anything at all.
Now he was never as aware as I am, he would play on his phone while eating, come home and eat without washing his hands ect, and when I criticized him I was the over paranoid germaphone. Now that this virus is on the scene he’s wiping down surfaces with wipes, over using hand sanitizer and going well beyond what I consider necessary I don’t get it

 

[Heather07438]

Am I wrong for thinking this guy is going overboard?

How are you handling your groceries?

Last week DS17 helped me bring in the groceries. As I'm putting them away, he's standing with his hand in mouth using a plastic flosser. "Nick! Did you wash your hands?" I knew the answer (no). Not wanting pile on alarm, I explained that we need to practice now so that it's already habit if the situation becomes severe.

Unwashed hands in mouth 30 seconds after carrying in groceries At least he was flossing his teeth

Thanks for posting I have a bit different method than the Doc for trying to keep our home clean from the outside (less sanitizers, more soap/water and removal methods) but it is comforting to know I'm not the only kook thinking about this lol.

Dawn with Oil of Olay and Aveeno lotion are keeping my hands healthy. Minimal Clorox spray for a few heavier jobs.

 

[spiders]

I am mindful of washing my hands after putting away the groceries but that's about it.

I still have to go to work. I've told my wife that I will do all the grocery shopping since I already have to go to work. I take my shoes off in the garage, shower, and change clothes upon getting home.

 

[PlainJane]

I have heard this also out of the NEJM just the other day. Probably can't find the link again. While the virus rna is detectable, it starts breaking down within 10 minutes. As each minute goes by, it gets less and less contagious. For instance, they found the particles on the cruise ships after 17 days. It was not deemed contagious at that point, just left behind it's calling card. Same for pets. They found the virus in the passages of some of the pets of infected people but it was found not to be contagious.

I feel this is the same for all these packages. The biggest danger is handling it right after an infected person does. After some time it is there and detectable but weakened with each passing minute.

As much as they talk about it being on surfaces for “x” amount of time, that’s not really useful. Can it infect me after “x” amount of time is the real question. Those silly stories about it being on surfaces after 17 days just make a great headline and terrify people.

I refuse to watch this video. I just don’t need another hit to my mental health. What I’ve come to realize is that you can make yourself a little insane with all of this. It’s impossible to not touch anything.

I put my stuff away, dispose of bags/packaging and wash my hands.

I stopped reading this thread because I just couldn’t do it without provoking extreme amounts of anxiety, let alone watch that video.

I am a germaphobe, and I don’t mean that in a cutesy way. I mean I think about germs and wash my hands more than probably 99% of the population (including medical professionals). I am hyper aware of what I’ve touched and even what other people around me have touched. It’s super depressing to me to watch people start thinking the way I have for years. The stakes are high and I understand that people are trying to mitigate their risk as best they can, I’m not telling anyone to not take safe precautions.

Just a thought, but sometimes I wonder if people are subjecting themselves MORE to germs by wiping things down, especially if they aren't wearing gloves. I flew a couple of weeks ago and observed a lot of people wiping down their tray tables and such. None had gloves on and not all sanitized their hands afterward.

Yes!

It drives me crazy when people talk about taking Clorox wipes on planes (or anywhere) and they are using their bare hands. Does no one read the instructions? You’re supposed to wash your hands afterwards.

Even if it’s an alcohol wipe, and not something like Lysol or Clorox, you need to clean your hands afterwards and if you really can’t get to a sink then a glove and hand sanitizer, after safely disposing of the soiled wipe(s) and glove(s), is your next best option.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I saw this video. I think it's extreme overkill. I think people are going to a) use all their cleaning products too fast b) going to poison themselves and c) going to drive themselves crazy and exhausted. I am a neurotic but I won't do this. It's extreme overkill IMO.

 

[Searc]

To each their own. It's not like I'm shouting from the rooftops for everyone else to wipe down their grocery packages, too, so I don't see how I'm inciting panic. I don't think it's wasteful or that it does nothing so I'm going to keep doing it. I never used to wipe groceries down and won't in the future, but as long as I'm shopping for my mom and interacting with her I'll be wiping down what I can.

I listen to the experts, who have said it is unnecessary.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Man, I tell you...as someone who has always been accused of being a 'germaphobe' just because I'm super aware of what I touch and don't touch, and always make sure my hands are washed and don't touch my face, etc...watching people who never used to pay attention to this stuff, suddenly starting to pay TOO much attention to it, has certainly been amusing.

RELAX. Just use common sense. No need to go overboard with the cleaning/disinfecting. If you freak out about every single tiny thing that you think has even the most minuscule possibility of infecting you with coronavirus, you will literally make yourself go insane.

Same. I have lived this way for decades!! I have been buying Clorox wipes and purell forever. Now all my favorite products are impossible to find (but I already had my stash). Now what I have been doing and saying all along, the whole world is doing! It's mind blowing.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Exactly! I feel the same way, my husband always says I’m a germaphobe because I’m very aware of what I’ve been touching and washing my hands a lot. I always wash all prep areas and my hands before cooking and eating. Wash my hands after coming in the house, and don’t touch my phone while eating ect. I have always been this way and haven’t changed anything at all.
Now he was never as aware as I am, he would play on his phone while eating, come home and eat without washing his hands ect, and when I criticized him I was the over paranoid germaphone. Now that this virus is on the scene he’s wiping down surfaces with wipes, over using hand sanitizer and going well beyond what I consider necessary I don’t get it

same!!!

 

[mrodgers]

The medical expert on ABC & GMA said to wipe everything down with a disinfecting wipe. The Coronavirus stays alive on plastic & hard surfaces for 3 days and on cardboard for 24 hours - according to the CDC and the WHO.

You don't want to be touching something that someone asymptomatic has been touching, then accidentally touching your nose.

However, I just leave stuff in the corner, in the bags or boxes for 3 days. I got boxes from Target yesterday. I sprayed down the boxes with Lysol and then left them in the corner by the door. The shipping took longer than 3 days, so stuff is probably already fine inside. But, I want to make sure the cardboard boxes are before opening and then flattening them to toss out.

I don't have any disinfecting wipes. Nor any wipes or paper towels, tissues, rubbing alcohol, bleach, out of just about everything. While everyone was hording it all I was working waiting for Friday so I could go normal grocery shopping. Hasn't been filled since.

 

[Imzadi]

What they found was genetic material from coronavirus, not a live virus.

THANK YOU!!! I don't want other people to be confused by this either. Or get the math incorrect. Yes, the virus might start dying right after it's left on a surface. But, according to the CDC and World Health Organization, it's still living and viable for transmission 24 hours on cardboard and 3 days on plastics & hard surfaces.

It's like human beings lost on the side of a mountain. They too, start dying without food & water. But, they are still alive and kicking, (barely) for 3 days. And if they are finally fed within that time, they get stronger and stay alive. Same with Covid-19 finding a cell host within 3 days. Researchers and scientist may find all that info on the genetics quite interesting. But, let's not start adding data in from other sources that may confuse people and aren't pertinent to what WE need to DO to stay safe. And it's info not coming from the CDC, WHO or Dr Fauci, of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

 

[Heather07438]

I think in the case with this video, it's appealing especially to those who are elderly or in higher jeopardy.

Practicing better hygiene and no more face touching is good, removing 100% of microbes is impossible and won't be good beyond a temporary situation. I don't want exposure to a glob of virus but maybe picking up a couple weakened ones off a surface could be just what my body needs to learn the fight? We can minimize while not driving ourselves crazy or OD'ing on chemicals.

 

[Imzadi]

I am sure there will be a new illness coming along here real soon from too much clorox/wipes/lysol spray in our environment.

yes! Like the wheezing I’ve been doing every time my husband decides to use those products in the house

Yes, I got three boxes from Target yesterday. They are sending my items piecemeal as they get them. I sprayed down the 3 boxes and started coughing immediately afterward and was coughing all day. I scared the crap out of myself. I won't be doing that anymore. I'm heading right to the dumpster, opening the boxes & moving all the items to a bag and tossing the cardboard boxes immediately, and leaving the items in the bag for a few days before putting them away.

 

[Imzadi]

When I buy boxes of crackers, cookies etc. I have my kids divide them into snack bags. A day or two after doing this my DD grabbed a snack bag of crackers and said they tasted like soap. They all did. All I can think of is that I had recently used kitchen spray to clean my countertops and it seeped through the baggies as they were filling them.

Have you ever filled a baggie with water? They are waterproof. Unlikely that the soap seeped in that way. Probably the countertop needed rinsing after using the spray and the kids touched the countertop or the crackers were on it. I've often wondered about those cleaners that say "no rinsing afterward." They are still on the surfaces.

 

[Imzadi]

As much as they talk about it being on surfaces for “x” amount of time, that’s not really useful. Can it infect me after “x” amount of time is the real question. Those silly stories about it being on surfaces after 17 days just make a great headline and terrify people.

Yes, I said that in another post above. It's extraneous info. Confuses people with the math, leaving some people unsafe. And terrifies others. As prestigious as other doctors or institutions are, who are also researching this or theorizing on it, they aren't the CDC & WHO who've been studying and tracking it and it's effects in people, through China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain and other countries, since it was realized to be a novel strain of COVID.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

There is a LOT of current research going on in many places re Covid19.

https://thehill.com/opinion/educati...-to-covid-19-breakthroughs-serving-the-public

 

[Imzadi]

There is a LOT of current research going on in many places re Covid19.

https://thehill.com/opinion/educati...-to-covid-19-breakthroughs-serving-the-public

That may be true. The virus is only about 3 months old. And studies are uncovering new info daily. But, they need to submit their data to the CDC and WHO who then filters what is pertinent to the public.

 

[Heather07438]

There is a LOT of current research going on in many places re Covid19.

https://thehill.com/opinion/educati...-to-covid-19-breakthroughs-serving-the-public

They earn my respect!

CIDRAP was an immense help from the start. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/maps-visuals
1point3acres holds a place in my heart too https://coronavirus.1point3acres.com/en
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ looks to be doing a respectable job too especially with their record of updates.

Good to know this virus is not transmissible through mosquitoes.