Do you think that you should go to the grocery store right now? If you can, try not to; having groceries delivered is the safest option. If you must go then follow these safety tips.
The first tip is DON’T GO! - If you can stay home and have your groceries delivered or have a friend or family member bring them to you this is your best choice. Cancer Thrivers are in one of the high-risk groups, so don’t take the chance.
If you must go out to shop, here are some safety tips to observe:
1. Other people are your biggest risk. Many stores have special hours for people in high risk categories, like people with cancer. Take advantage of this opportunity. You can also shop at off-hours and do your best to stay at least 6 feet away from others.
2. Wear a mask. Even if wearing a mask you should not to touch your face.
3. Wash your hands before and after shopping. If you don’t have disposable gloves—and even if you do—wash your hands before you go and immediately upon your return. Gloves doesn’t mean that you should wash your hands.
4. If you wear disposable gloves, it’s still critical that you not touch your face. Just like your hands disposable gloves pick up germs and viruses from different surfaces. Danger might lurk on the shopping cart handle, jars, bags, cartons and refrigerator case handles. If you do wear gloves, safely discard them by turning them inside out as you remove them and then immediately discard the, Then WAS your hands.
5. If you don’t wear disposable gloves: You don’t have to wear gloves. If you don’t, wash your hands with soap and water before and after shopping. Bring hand sanitizer with you and use it often while you’re shopping and when you leave the store. Don’t forget to wash your hands when you return home.
6. Leave your phone at home. Touching your phone is so ingrained, it is safer to leave it at home and avoid the temptation. If you take your phone with you, you can spread germs from things you touch in the store to your phone. If you must bring your phone, wipe it down when you get home.
7. Bring EPA-approved wipes. Generally, these are wipes that contain bleach, alcohol, or other virus-neutralizing agents. Some stores provide them, but if you have your own, bring them, just in case. Wipe down your cart, refrigerator handles, communal tongs, etc. as well as your exterior doorknobs.
8. Avoid handing cash or credit card to the clerk. Use self-checkout if it’s available. If not, avoid interacting with the clerk if you can; enter your credit card into the card reader yourself. Sanitize your hands when you leave the store ot throw away your gloves.
9. To wipe down products at home, or not? According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the virus can live for up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to 72 hours on plastic or stainless steel, although it decays exponentially. Experts say that rather than wiping down cereal boxes, jars, bags, etc., simply washing your hands after handling an item is a better protection.
The more hand washing you do the safer you will be.
Please be safe and be healthy.
