Takeaways during lockdown

[Birdy65]

Do you think takeaways are safe? I’m worried about the packaging but not sure if I am over thinking it!
One of my children have their Birthday tomorrow and would really like a takeaway. Just wanted some thoughts on what people think. If there is any doubt, we’ll stick to jacket potato’s and save the celebrations to a date when this is all over.

Our two favourite restaurants that have turned into takeaways have closed as they think the risk to their staff & customers is too great. I feel awful for them as that’s their income gone but they clearly felt that they had no choice.

Going to order the Morrisons boxes once we have run out. Think they are a great idea!

^^ no different to takeaway....

Interesting. In New Zealand takeaways are definitely banned under lockdown.
Even for NZ I think the rules are a bit lax and we have no deaths and 200 cases
UK has much too loose rules. Defeats the purpose of lockdown.

A box is different to takeaway because you wash or wipe down the products in the box. With a takeaway you are eating food someone else has breathed over, touched and possibly coughed or sneezed on ffs. Plus those takeaway workers have to risk leaving their homes and travelling about for no good reason.

@antipodeansun - after reading some of the posts on MN I have been thinking the same thing.

One of the local takeaways is shutting

They sent out something on Facebook offering people free meals today so they can use up their stock

I thought that was lovely

@eaglejulesk - yeah, why bother if you will try to find the loophole.
Is the public messaging in the UK so bad? Or what?

@antipodeansun it's not a loophole. Ordering a takeaway to your door is entirely within the guidelines. The UK government is actively encouraging restaurant businesses to set up takeaway services by relaxing planning laws temporarily.

There's no "takeaways aren't allowed but..." here.

It's "takeaways are OK and businesses can set them up more easily than before if they like."

@Lockheart - even worse. UK government, then, does not understand the purpose of lockdown
Every car, every bike on the street a chance of contact. Every delivery vehicle.
Lockdown means only absolutely essential contact, and allowing takeaways is exactly the opposite!
I don't understand people talking about their Friday takeaways.
This is not a normal situation.
By watering it down they are defeating the purpose
May as well go back to the herd immunity strategy .

Totally banned in NZ. As are any cooked food deliveries. Lockdown means lockdown. No contact with anyone outside your home except for absolutely essential things. Unsurprisingly takeaways aren't essential.

I'm agog at the lax rules in the UK

Well since we haven't gone into "lockdown" (despite what many people seem to believe the measures introduced on Monday evening are not, as far as I understand them, lockdown) then that's irrelevant.

For whatever reason, the UK government is allowing takeaway businesses to operate and therefore it is legitimate for people to use them. For some, who can't get out to the shops because of disability or self-isolation, they are a lifeline.

Boris Johnson specifically said food delivery was fine.
Once again twisting things for your own good! Bloody hell, just suck it up, stay home, no frigging takeaway
How the hell is that twisting things?
BJ specifically said restaurants and cafes could do takeaways!
Paying over the phone, having it dropped at your doorstep is not gojng out!!!
I havent done it but for people who cannot go out it is a means of getting food

I suspect it may get stopped but some people do not have anyone to go get them food.

Lockdown means lockdown. No contact with anyone outside your home except for absolutely essential things. Unsurprisingly takeaways aren't essential

To some people they are. People need to eat! Not everyone can go to the shops to get food.
We arent on 'lockdown' in the full sense here so your argument is moot.

Cissyandflora
Obviously it does as you didnt read the bit in the guidelines where food outlets were encouraged to do takeaways! Planning laws are being relaxed to allow pubs and restaurants to do takeaways too. People are being encouraged to support local business in this way.

The measures are the latest in a series of practical steps the government is taking to support businesses and help people who need to self-isolate, as well as vulnerable groups and older people who have been strongly advised to avoid social contact outside their homes to prevent the spread of coronavirus

We are not in lockdown.
Takeaways are acceptable under current guidelines.

With a takeaway you are eating food someone else has breathed over, touched and possibly coughed or sneezed on ffs. Plus those takeaway workers have to risk leaving their homes and travelling about for no good reason.

I agree.

We are all trying to stop the virus from transmitting. The more people are out and about (delivering takeaways), the higher the risk that the virus can spread.

And yes, when I get food delivered I clean all the packaging and wash of cook the food well to kill any potential virus.

@OlaEliza i might possibly be overthinking it, but what about the factory workers who package the foods on supermarket shelves? The people that slaughter and prepare our meat? The people that make our bread? The people who pick our fruits and vegetables? Could they have touched, couched or sneezed on the foods we’re buying in supermarkets before they’re packaged?

That's why I'm wiping everything down with a Dettol wipe/washing in Milton. I've wiped everything in my kitchen, including the cupboards and anything coming in is wiped/cleaned. Cooking will kill the virus on the food inside.

And we have to eat food. We don't have to eat takeaway. Unless unable to prepare your own food, it's just an additional risk that is unnecessary in most cases.

I'm going to enjoy takeaways for as long as possible. Until guidelines say otherwise

With a takeaway you are eating food someone else has breathed over, touched and possibly coughed or sneezed on ffs

I take it you arent buying any bread, meat, fruit or veg then?

Exactly, there's already rules for food hygiene that should mean you don't catch anything from the people who handled your takeaway, your restaurant meal, who baked your bread, cut your naice ham etc. Do those rules work 100%? No, but still, the risk is small, and not bigger I would have thought than going out to shop.
People are really overreacting about this. Just follow the rules. All that's required is that we get to a point where the rate of infection is less than one additional person per infected person, then it will start to go back down. It's not necessary to cut your own personal risk from fuck all to fuck all divided by 100, not unless you're in one of the high risk groups.

I love the fact that on Mumsnet some posters seem to think adding "ffs" makes their post an absolute gotcha!

Yes, we have to eat food.
Unfortunately, panic buyers, last week bought out almost everything. Supposed to be staying in, but cannot get a slot - still no luck today. Not even Morrisons box. I checked around 2 am. Same message as yesterday. Also, check later.

If people cannot get food from the stores. And now cannot get food deliveries. Then how are these people supposed to eat?

All services have reduced. The carer to go in and help Mrs X do her shopping stopped. The workers to help with cooking etc. Reduced.

There will be pockets of society who aren't getting any help who are vulnerable. Close down takeaway deliveries and some might starve.

Doesn't matter if it's lettuce from a special box delivered to your home or lettuce in a kebab. It's still food.

Your cheese, lots of meat, vegetables, fruit come with the same risk lol. Your uncovered baked good etc. Not everything can be sprayed with Dettol or cooked before you eat.

Think about that, when you're eating your artisan cheese and meats and breads.

Yes, there is a chance of supermarket food being infected too. Virus however does not survive on surfaces that long (though longer on plastic and metal longer). Takeaways however were just prepared by someone. Within one hour. It's relatively easy to monitor how supermarkets stack shelves. It'll be really hard to monitor each little takeaway's hygiene practice.

In my view the bigger issue is on population level. We need to have access to food. But the trips (either delivery or going to shops) should be minimal. Once a week if possible, one person.
Takeaways are just one meal, maybe two. On the population level they mean many many more chances of social encounter and virus transmission.

I understand that there are people who are in vulnerable position. But I fear that allowing all food outlets to just go about the regular business in a society not used to think about the collective is not going to end well.

Takeaways ran everywhere in China (including Wuhan) will clearly no material impact on suppression of the virus. They are exceedingly common in China (more so than here, probably closer to New York habits). I wouldn't worry about my takeaway, and they're definitely allowed under the current rules.