Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are you still wiping groceries?

570 replies

Lovely1a2b3c · 18/06/2020 00:08

Just that! We have been wiping food shopping items as some of the family are vulnerable (not shielding) but wondering if it's time to stop?

OP posts:
Zaphodsotherhead · 21/06/2020 20:49

Also, re another, similar thread, how many people who aren't in Britain are wiping their groceries/washing their post?

It does seem to be a peculiarly British thing, and there aren't masses of stories of people overseas or in Europe dropping dead from unwashed bean cans or unsanitized Amazon deliveries.

JinglingHellsBells · 22/06/2020 07:29

It does seem to be a peculiarly British thing, and there aren't masses of stories of people overseas or in Europe dropping dead from unwashed bean cans or unsanitized Amazon deliveries.

How do you know? Been there? Done a survey?

I can tell you that in China where we have connections, they have been far more stringent than we are here.

Are people saying that transmission cannot occur on items handled?

If so, WHY when shops are opening are:

Books in book shops being quarantined after being handled
Make up testers are not allowed now on make up stands
Shoes tried on are sprayed and put into quarantine
Changing rooms are closed
Clothes returned are quarantined

This is all because of VIRUS SHEDDING from skin.

How does it not apply to wrapped food when it can live on plastic for 3-5 days.

Some people are just not up to speed with this.

cologne4711 · 22/06/2020 08:15

Some people are just not up to speed with this

No it's because the retailers are terrified of being sued by customers or employees so are going to ridiculous lengths to exclude the tiniest risk.

In any event, there are clearly more risks involved in multiple people constantly handling the same make-up tester over the course of a day than there are if one delivery driver passed one parcel to one family.

Anyway as people have said, crack on with your washing things. It doesn't affect me, as long as you don't use anti-BACTERIAL measures against a VIRUS.

Raaaa · 22/06/2020 08:20

Who are all these people who have caught Covid from their shopping? Can we have names and some sort of evidence? Otherwise I think people are making up stories.

Exactly, how this can be traced back to that tin of beans I picked up from Asda I don't know

Zaphodsotherhead · 22/06/2020 09:02

@JinglingHellsBells

It does seem to be a peculiarly British thing, and there aren't masses of stories of people overseas or in Europe dropping dead from unwashed bean cans or unsanitized Amazon deliveries.

How do you know? Been there? Done a survey?

I can tell you that in China where we have connections, they have been far more stringent than we are here.

Are people saying that transmission cannot occur on items handled?

If so, WHY when shops are opening are:

Books in book shops being quarantined after being handled
Make up testers are not allowed now on make up stands
Shoes tried on are sprayed and put into quarantine
Changing rooms are closed
Clothes returned are quarantined

This is all because of VIRUS SHEDDING from skin.

How does it not apply to wrapped food when it can live on plastic for 3-5 days.

Some people are just not up to speed with this.

I am perfectly up to speed, thank you. In fact, probably more so than a lot of people, as I work in a very small supermarket and have done so right through the outbreak.

We are among the first people to be told of new regulations, new evidences and new outbreaks. There has not been one single verified case of Covid being caught from packaging. If there were, we would be making customers buy every package they touched, quarantining unwanted (touched) shopping before returning it to the shelves etc.

We aren't. People are free to pick up goods, check the ingredients and return them to the shelf. The risk of infection from the amount of virus that may, possibly be left on surfaces is so low as to be vanishingly small. Only the most at risk could possibly acquire the virus from such a small dose, and they ought not to be out shopping anyway.

Other shops (clothes, books etc) are quarantining goods because of people like you, who would probably boycott shops which didn't visibly whip all goods away from you immediately after touching.

What do you think they will be doing with those 'touched' books etc? Burning them? Nope, they will shove them round the back in a crate, all together, all touching, and put them back on the shelves. They may or may not be quarantined for 72 hours, but I'd take bets on the shops wanting to maximise their profits and putting them back out later the same day.

Alsohuman · 22/06/2020 09:10

*Other shops (clothes, books etc) are quarantining goods because of people like you, who would probably boycott shops which didn't visibly whip all goods away from you immediately after touching.

What do you think they will be doing with those 'touched' books etc? Burning them? Nope, they will shove them round the back in a crate, all together, all touching, and put them back on the shelves. They may or may not be quarantined for 72 hours, but I'd take bets on the shops wanting to maximise their profits and putting them back out later the same day*

Exactly this. If infection from surfaces was an issue we’d all be advised to wear gloves. As it is, we’re not. Not even on public transport.

MrsR87 · 22/06/2020 09:17

I find the item quarantine rule quite bizarre. For the whole of the pandemic, you’ve been able to go upstairs at my local supermarket and browse/touch the clothes and shoes. All the shoes are out on the shelves as always, so there is nothing to stop you from trying a pair on and simply putting them back on the shelves. The same principle goes for books. You’ve been able to pick them up and have a looks an put them back. Not sure why it’s different for them!

Itisbetter · 22/06/2020 10:32

If books were fine to pick up and share public libraries would have been open

drspouse · 22/06/2020 11:19

If books were fine to pick up and share public libraries would have been open
The reason libraries are not open is not because of the books but because of the people. They are open in some countries.

Zaphodsotherhead · 22/06/2020 12:36

@Itisbetter

If books were fine to pick up and share public libraries would have been open
No, it's because you'd have lots of people together in an indoor space.

If you think it's because of the books, why didn't supermarkets close to prevent people from 'touching all the goods' and passing it on that way?

Itisbetter · 22/06/2020 12:45

If Handling/borrowing the books wasn’t the problem why didn’t they limit numbers in the library and have social distancing like supermarkets?

Alsohuman · 22/06/2020 12:48

@Itisbetter

If Handling/borrowing the books wasn’t the problem why didn’t they limit numbers in the library and have social distancing like supermarkets?
Because they don’t have enough staff to police the numbers entering.
Zaphodsotherhead · 22/06/2020 12:49

Because most libraries are run by volunteers these days and why should volunteers have to stand on doors and limit numbers coming in and try to police social distancing? It's bad enough (and you get enough abuse for it) when you are paid to do so.

Lots of libraries were doing loans still, you just had to arrange online and pick up the books from outside the libraries.

Itisbetter · 22/06/2020 12:51

I think it’s more to do with the depth of contact (held in hands, in homes, breathed/sneezed on), and the porous nature of paper.

MayFayre · 22/06/2020 13:06

Where I live the libraries have one paid employee and the rest of the staff are volunteers. Almost all of the volunteers are over 70.

Susan1961 · 22/06/2020 14:37

I could disinfect everything & still get knocked down by a fking bus.

drspouse · 22/06/2020 15:36

the porous nature of paper.
Porous things hold the virus for LESS time.
So they should allow libraries and not sell plastic bags.

Bluesheep8 · 22/06/2020 16:21

Never did in the first place.

WinningEveryDay · 22/06/2020 18:56

Loling at people thinking you can catch CV from paper. Yes that's why newspapers have been sold throughout and the gov confirmed they were an 'essential item' when all the hysterics were claiming Alan down the road was killing people by popping out for a newspaper every day.

BatShite · 22/06/2020 22:43

Make up testers are not allowed now on make up stands

I didn't know this was a thing? Only a week ago..I got stuck behind 2 women in superdrug..they were seemingly using testers for like..20 mins or so. Unless they were opening new ones to 'test' I guess, but doing that seems cheeky as fuck so I assumed they were using the ones there already

Itisbetter · 22/06/2020 22:57

Loling at people thinking you can’t catch Covid from paper/plastic/fabric/surfaces in general. What on Earth do they think all that deep cleaning schools, and giving washing your hands is about???Shock

SlightyJaded · 22/06/2020 22:59

If course it can live on paper. Why did they advise caution with post?

I'm sure it's not in huge doses and not for days on end, but it absolutely can live on paper.

drspouse · 22/06/2020 23:02

You don't put library books, plastic bags etc in your mouth or on your face, usually.
Children do however put their hands in their mouths after touching things. And on their faces (which is hard for adults to avoid, too).

They won't be deep cleaning every supermarket every day (I appreciate they will be doing more than normal).

drspouse · 22/06/2020 23:03

Why did they advise caution with post?
Who advised this? I have not heard this at all.

jgjgjgjgjg · 22/06/2020 23:06

Nope. Don't wipe groceries. Open Amazon parcels as soon as they arrive. Don't wear a mask in supermarkets either.