The first thing we need to do is to reduce the number of shopping trips altogether. Is delivery an option in your area? That's the safest bet. You have more of a chance of getting sick from another person than that box of pasta.

If you do need to venture out, here are some safety tips:

First, shop at off-peak times to avoid crowds. Some grocery stores have already put a cap on the number of shoppers allowed in a store at any given time.

Once inside, keep a six-foot distance from other shoppers at all times. If possible, shop alone and without children who love touching things. Make a list in advance so you can move along quickly and minimize your time spent inside the store. Leave your germ-prone phone in your pocket while shopping to protect others.

What about surgical masks? Should you wear proper safety gear inside a store? Experts say leave the masks for those that truly need it: front-lined health-care workers and ill patients. While some contradictory guidance is out there, there is a worry of a false sense of security.

Is it safe to use that reusable bag of yours? Yes, but wash them after every trip to the store, just to be extra vigilant. Nylon and cotton grocery store bags can be machine-washed and air-dried. If your bags are plastic, wash them by hand.

Is it safer to use cash or a credit card at checkout?

The best option for containing germs is to use a contactless option such as Apple Pay if possible. Use the self-checkout line to minimize contact with people, as well.

Whatever way you choose to pay, the most important thing is to wash and sanitize your hands thoroughly once you get home.

Together we can shop, eat, and live safely during this coronavirus pandemic.

Read the source article at Vox

In our collective attempt to flatten the curve, grocery shopping has become a minefield. We are not supposed to leave our homes, yet we have to keep feeding ourselves; as a result, what used to be a comforting annoyance now feels dangerous. Can you touch that cereal box? Why is that person standing so close?

There is a lot of guidance on how to handle the store, and a lot of it is confusing, if not contradictory. It’s okay to get groceries, we’re told, but not too often. You’re not supposed to wear a mask if you’re healthy, but perhaps you should. You probably aren’t going to get coronavirus from touching the wrong avocado, or at least, scientists say transmission from food is unlikely. Maybe it’s harder to find pasta now, but you shouldn’t panic about shortages.

To help us navigate this unsettling new world of grocery shopping — can you reuse your bags? why isn’t there yeast? — we turned to the experts.

Read the source article at Vox