Are online package safe? DD’s bday next week.

[Littlemiss74]

I would quite happily not order anything online at the moment but it is my dd’s bday next week and with everything that’s been going on I hadn’t bought her anything yet. I would like to get her a few presents online but someone I know said they wouldn’t order anything as the packaging may have traces of the virus.
I’m thinking of leaving them outside at side of house for a couple of days before bringing them in. Should this be ok?

It will almost certainly be fine.

The chance of getting the virus from packaging is very, very low. If you're worried just wash your hands thoroughly after you've opened them.

It's no different to touching your post or shopping.

I believe it’s 24 hours for cardboard and 3 days for plastic. We are leaving all our mail in the porch accordingly. Or just open it up, dispose of packaging and wash hands throughly!

We just unpackage, bin packaging, thoroughly wash hands

www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2020/mar/24/covid-19-how-long-can-it-survive-outside-the-body

This is why we are advised to wage our hands.

Wash

Order away. As cardboard absorbs moisture it is hard for the virus t lice on it for long. But do as others suggest - either leave the package for a day, or open it and remove contents placing cardboard in recycling and washing your hands. You'll also have to clean whatever's in the package. That's the idea but I received something via Amazon and didn't do all that other than wash my hands after opening the package and discarding all the packing materials.