Still wiping down groceries?

[Cam77]

Just wondered if anyone is still doing this? At the beginning we were told the virus can live on surfaces for X number of days, but as far as I’m aware, the powers that be never elaborated on whether it was a real risk of transmission.

I have elderly parents and am being extra cautious for their sakes. I was about to stop wiping a few weeks ago but then number started going again when I live. I know the risk is super small, but anyway, anyone else still consider this worth doing? Or was the science updated somewhere to say there’s no risk of transmission from groceries/parcels etc?

@Lucindainthesky

PhilCornwall

If you are vulnerable and still find it odd then I'm sorry but I find you odd.

My DH is vulnerable. Always catches every virus, ended up in hospital last year with pneumonia after a virus I recovered from within days. We don't fancy his chances with covid and therefore take the steps we can to minimise his risks of catching it.

Can you please explain why you find that odd?

It's quite easy.

I'm not concerned about covid-19. As I've already said, a dose of the flu can see me off. Any infection I get is more than a little problematic, so I'm living my life no differently to normal.

My family need as normal a life as possible through this and washing shopping and putting post in quarantine is not normal.

[quote LittleMissRedHat]@TheSunIsStillShining
Actually the first thing that you have to learn when going to a middle eastern country to live for m europe is that you have to clean everything. That means washing all groceries. Because the bacteria/viruses are so very different.

I've just come back from my second stint in the Middle East. I have NEVER washed a single grocery item. I will, on occasion, rinse fruit or veg under the tap for a few seconds, depends which supermarket it came from. I can honestly say, I (nor anyone in my family) has had any problems...[/quote]
I appreciate that things might be very different now, I lived there more than 35 years ago. There were no supermarkets :)
And when my mom thought that "why bother.." we all got very sick. Lesson learnt the hard way.

@LittleMissRedHat

And I guess that also depends on where within the middle east. We used to live in Iraq.

@Lucindainthesky

If you are vulnerable and still find it odd then I'm sorry but I find you odd.

I Should have also added, no need to apologise, the fact you find me odd is of no consequence.

I never wiped down groceries, and never bought sanitizer stuff.. Bar soap and hot water for hand washing. I washed hands more carefully if I had had a parcel or cardboard box delivery, that had been in the vans with lots of other boxes etc.

I know someone who kept putting all the delivered tinned food, like baked beans and soups etc, straight into the washing up bowl and soaking them in hot soapy water for 15 minutes or so. That is dedication !!!!

I know someone who kept putting all the delivered tinned food, like baked beans and soups etc, straight into the washing up bowl and soaking them in hot soapy water for 15 minutes or so. That is dedication !!!!

Didn't the labels come off?

@YetAnotherSpartacus

I know someone who kept putting all the delivered tinned food, like baked beans and soups etc, straight into the washing up bowl and soaking them in hot soapy water for 15 minutes or so. That is dedication !!!!

Didn't the labels come off?

There's the future fun: Mystery meals :)

If you're not burning your clothes and putting yourself in the oven on a low heat for half an hour I'm afraid you're not doing it right.

I knew I wasn’t being vigilant enough. Damn.

@TheSunIsStillShining

My first stint was a long time ago too! . I probably should have said markets / supermarkets / shops / roadside stalls, but I was condensing. Genuinely sorry to hear you got sick. It's right to be cautious, but I also wanted to put the other side of the coin out there too that, like with Covid, it's mostly luck of the draw if you get sick. You did, I didn't, it will be the same with Covid - some might avoid catching it because they washed their shopping, some might never catch it and have never washed a thing.

@PhilCornwall1 you can't compare this to the flu or other infections.

Presumably as a vulnerable person you get the flu jab each year to reduce your risk? There's no covid jab yet. Other infections have been well studied and have long established treatments. Covid is new. It's a strange virus with strange effects.

We therefore do the things in our control to minimise the risk of bringing it into the household. No, washing shopping isn't normal. But living in a pandemic isn't normal and most vulnerable people cannot carry on as normal.

Never have done. I never even washed apples etc before coronavirus. The only time I've washed food is stuff like salad veg, baking potatoes that would have noticeable mud on them. And that's more to do with not like the texture of mud than a fear of germs.

@YetAnotherSpartacus

I know someone who kept putting all the delivered tinned food, like baked beans and soups etc, straight into the washing up bowl and soaking them in hot soapy water for 15 minutes or so. That is dedication !!!!

Didn't the labels come off?

And there you have it. Instead of giving the kids beans on toast for tea, they end up with a tin of Butchers on toast, meant for the dog, while poor Fido ends up with baked beans and Winalot in his bowl.

As a previous poster has mentioned... New Zealand had been covid free for 100 days.as of this evening they have 14 cases. The transmission was through a family member working with air freight from Us. The borders are shut. So those people saying it's crazy and not possible are wrong. It is possible but v unlikely.

Never have and never will. When I found out this was a thing I asked DH what he thought about it. He also didn't want to but I told him if he wanted to spend his time washing shopping he could, but don't expect any help from me.

DH did briefly worry about takeaways but soon changed his mind when I said I was going to order myself a curry and he could have something from the freezer!

No but then I never have. I bring in the bags, wash hands. Unpack, wash hands. Put away, wash hands. I was wary of drinking out of bottles or cans or handling crisp packets the day or two after delivery and would pour into a glass or bowl but realise I am less concerned now.

I bin the bags or quarantine them in the garage for a few days before touching agsin

I also wash my hands after touching anything coming into the house. Post, parcels.

Haven’t done for 8 weeks.

@Lucindainthesky

I wasn't comparing it to flu, I was making the point that it can kill me, just like this virus can. Yes I do have a flu jab each year and have had the pneumonia vaccine.

If I get something as simple as a coldsore I have to immediately get to the Doctors for antivirals as I can end up dangerously ill if I don't have them. A boil on my backside during lockdown made me extremely ill, so it can be many things that could get me in trouble, all with potentially the same outcome.

But living in a pandemic isn't normal and most vulnerable people cannot carry on as normal.

That depends on the vulnerable persons outlook on life to be honest. We are getting out and enjoying ourselves as much as we can. If covid gets me, it's unlucky, but that's life, or well not life ultimately.

Never did and I haven't left any food at all in bags, on the floor since about a month after moving in when I discovered that we had occasional nocturnal visitors with expensive taste in muesli.

I can't believe there are people who eat fruit without washing it. I have done this all my life - fertiliser, insecticide, insects, bird crap, fruit pickers, freight handlers, packers, supermarket staff and customers have all touched it. No thanks

[quote LittleMissRedHat]@TheSunIsStillShining

My first stint was a long time ago too! . I probably should have said markets / supermarkets / shops / roadside stalls, but I was condensing. Genuinely sorry to hear you got sick. It's right to be cautious, but I also wanted to put the other side of the coin out there too that, like with Covid, it's mostly luck of the draw if you get sick. You did, I didn't, it will be the same with Covid - some might avoid catching it because they washed their shopping, some might never catch it and have never washed a thing.[/quote]
Absolutely fair point :)
I'd rather be safe then sorry. On this level -washing shopping or not- I really is a personal preference and how risk averse someone is.
My issue is on a public and world health level. There, a lot more should/could be done differently to contain any type of outbreak. But that's a different topic :)

Yes we are lol

Nope I don't and never have. I always wash hands regularly etc.

Still washing here.

I see it the same as avoiding certain foods during pregnancy or chemo for example. Chances are minute, but why take the risk?

Another thread showing how minging some people are. Wipe or do not wipe groceries, that's a choice but to not wash fruit and veg, that is gross.

Another thread showing how minging some people are

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