– in the air 3 hours
– cardboard 1 hour
– plastic & metal 3 days
* IF YOU SHOP
– don’t go to market if you have ANY respiratory illness
– avoid market if over 60
– upon entering store use 2 clean produce bags like gloves
– wipe down your cart
– only handle what you commit to buy
– buy 2 weeks of groceries at once, if possible
– bring a list to minimize market time
– only use new (not used) shopping bags, plastic is best
– if cloth bags used, store them later outside
– HANDLING GROCERIES AT HOME
* leave your groceries (if possible) outside (garage, porch) for 3 days
* if groceries are delivered, have them left outside
* If you must bring them inside:
– sanitized the surface you’re going to use
– divide the sanitized surface into 2 areas (like RIGHT for sterile and LEFT non-sterile items)
– with sanitizer spray (or *well* saturated cloth) clean anything human hands have touched (plastic containers, cardboard, cartons, etc)
– may remove pouches packed in boxes & discard outer box
– for bagged bread/chips/frozen foods/etc you may dump content into clean storage container & discard original wrapping, or spray/wipe down wrapping
– for plastic wrapped produce, either open & dump into your clean veggie drawer, or spray/wipe down plastic & store
– soak the fresh produce (w/ skin) in soapy water, then scrub each piece like you’re washing hands (20 seconds), rinse well, air dry
– may also wash fresh veggies in soapy water, but rinse very well
– best to cook at home, but if not
– only order hot food
– set take out food on counter LEFT side for “non-sterile” containers
– wash your hands
– consider plastic/paper wrappers non-sterile
– dump content of wrappers on to clean plate, bowl, cup (on counter RIGHT side for “sterile” items) including content of wet sauces & discard wrappings
– heat & microwave KILLS the virus (but it can live frozen 2 years, so heat frozen items – like frozen pizza – later, before eating), AND heat your take-out.