Wondering if Take-Out Packaging is Safe During The Coronavirus Pandemic? You’re Not Alone.
As we've been encouraging everyone to support local businesses as much as possible during these difficult times, I have heard from a lot of listeners that are concerned about the packaging that their take-out comes in or the boxes they have delivered to their homes. Those are valid concerns as you try to keep your family safe during the COVID-19 crisis.
Alexandra Lin, Business Development Manager at Durisan, a company that offers an environment-friendly alternative for antimicrobial hand sanitizers, offered these tips for take-out:
- If you are paying when the food is delivered to you, make sure to bring sanitizing wipes or hand sanitizer with you to disinfect the card reader and your card in case you need to sign or enter your PIN.
- As you arrive home, take your shoes off (leave them outside, for the sanitization properties of the UV rays from the sun) and then wash your hands for 20 seconds following CDC guidelines.
- Place the curbside or take out bags in the sink rather than the countertop or dinner table.
- Wipe food containers, including top, bottom, and sides for precaution.
- Transfer the food to a plate and wash your hands prior to consumption. It's important to discard the bags and food containers after transfer.
- Store leftovers in household Tupperware or containers.
- After your meal, clean and sanitize the sink.
And this tip for packages that come in the mail:
- In the case of mail and packages (although they pose a low risk of transmitting the coronavirus), it is important to avoid contact with the person delivering the package. You can also use disinfectant sprays to spray boxes as a precautionary measure to lower any risk.
According to LiveScience, there is no evidence of COVID-19 being transmitted through food or packaging, but it’s also not proven that it doesn’t. So it's best to just play it safe.