Community Chat

[millieshops]

My caution as well as a quick look at my closets tells me just not to order.

If I had to order, I'd treat packages pretty much like I do what I bring home from the supermarket or pharmacy -  very carefully.     Anything I can, I leave in my secure outdoor space for several days and anything I can't, gets wiped, sprayed, or washed.

[LindaSal]

We also cannot use our cloth bags at this time at the supermarket.   We are doing the same as others, leaving them in the garage to sit.  For mail,  I douse the cardboard boxes in the garage with Lysol spray and some bags too.  Let them sit for a few days then I open them and discard the packaging.    Trying not to be crazy but smart.

[Ainhisg]

@Twoaces , I do the same thing.  

[Kachina624]

I take the plastic bags into the garage, open using rubber gloves, shake out the contents, put the outter bag into the garbage can with the gloves.  Wash hands.

[pitdakota]

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@Spurt wrote:

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@mistyada wrote:

I also wait to pick up my mail until the day after it is delivered to be safe. They have had postal letter carriers infected in our area. My husband has a background in lab safety practices and he recommended that we do that. Even Dr Gupta on CNN has done a video on how to “wash” your groceries before you put them away. 

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@mistyada 

There was another Dr on You Tube I hope the CNN was more practical....The You Tube guy talked about leaving your groceries outside for awhile and then bringing them in and wiping them down....Its in the 80's here and we almost hit 90...no way am I leaving groceries outside....he was in a northern state that still had snow....  LOL....

But I do agree with him about washing fresh fruits and veggies thoroughly.......And I did wipe down some stuff on the outside and threw those plastic bags away and washed my hands and cloraxed all surfaces...

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@Spurt, I posted that you tube video and it is the same one that CNN highlighted.  For goodness sakes, the doctor knew there were all kinds of situations in which you could not leave items that are perishable outside for days, just as he knows there were many that live in high rise apartments and other living situations where it isn't possible to leave them outside.  He did say it was perferable, guess he assumed people would use their common sense.

The main purpose of his video was to demonstrate how to have a "dirty" area and a "clean" area for items as well as how to handle certain items.  Goodness, it you left them outside for the prescribed amount of time, it would not be necessary to go through with those steps.  Think about it.  In the off chance there is any virus on any of the articles, it would no longer be viable or able to infect if you left the items outside for that amount of time & then brought them into your house. So if that had been his purpose, the rest of the video would not be necessary, it would have been like a one minute video.   

As I said at the time when I posted it, some may not want to take those actions but since so many people had posted questions about potentially contaminated items from the grocery I thought some might appreciate seeing what he had to say.   If someone wanted to use the principles, great.  If not, that is okay as well.

The information he gives is relevant & is becoming more relevant as we have people working in the grocery stores and delivery areas that are testing positive. Many health care individuals certainly recognize having a clean/dirty area or  designated clean/dirty hand because we have to use those principles all of the time in health care procedures.   

To answer the OP's question, I haven't ordered anything lately that has come in a plastic bag.  But if I did, I would wipe it down with an antiseptic before opening it.  I have received a couple of items that have come in boxes.  I move those to an area of the living room that barely gets any traffic and then wash my hands.  I let them sit there for a couple of days and then open them, discard the packaging, and wash my hands.  Luckily I haven't had anything I needed to open right away so I can let them sit there for a couple of days. 

[beach-mom]

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@Twoaces wrote:

Yes, I’m quarantining all plastic bags for at least three days and paper for at least one day.  Delivered groceries arrive in plastic, as does the newspaper.  Yes, that is a nuisance, but, there is no point in staying at home but then letting the virus come in anyway.  

Hang in there, everyone.  The more scrupulously we take the orders, the sooner we will see light at the end of the tunnel.  Maybe we can have a tiny celebration on the Fourth of July.🎉🎉🎉🇺🇸

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I also do mail for 24 hours, and cardboard boxes for 24 hours. They "wait" in the garage. I don't have the option of not picking it up. I have one tray set up for letters. 

[wakefield64]

Am I the only one wiping off my mail? Many people have touched it even though machines are used. I use a wipe on my magazines and envelopes. 

[hippiechick7897]

No extra precautions here but I wish they’d stop using them. They are always absolutely filthy upon arrival.

[Kachina624]

I'd much rather they used bags than cardboard boxes, especially smaller ones.  They are the bane of my existence, trying to take over my house.  I fill my recycling bin every 2 weeks.

[sunshine45]

i prefer boxes to bags.

the boxes are easily recyclable each week, but they wont take our plastic bags.