Are you wiping down groceries because of the new variant?

[LaughingStock2021]

I am. Are you?

I have a shitload on my plate at the moment so haven't started digging through articles recommending it or saying it's all nonsense to do so, but with the 70% more infectious strain we are doing it. Wondered if anyone had seen anything related to the new strain and what new precautions we could take?

No. I've never wiped anything down. I'm not starting now!

[quote Scaredykittycat]@Sparklingbrook you’d wash your hands before you prepared the sandwich though wouldn’t you. You wouldn’t wash them again.[/quote]
I do both because my hands might be sticky from making the sandwich/touching the meat etc.

No a s didn’t first time round either. I get most delivered. I just unpack, put away and wash my hands

Yes. I'm quite risk averse but not paranoid I don't think. Surfaces are a low risk compared with aerosol transmission but it's something I can easily do to reduce risk, so I do it.

No, but wash hands after putting everything away and don't lick the packaging.

@UghNotThisAgain36

Its pointless. Just wash your hands after you have put it away. I assume most people wash fresh veg etc before using it and wash hands before, during and after cooking. But whatever makes people feel better. Don't use bleach though.

I did wipe it during the first lock down. I also considered whether it was possible to wash my hands instead. However, I decided that when making an average meal I might go into the fridge and freezer about 6 times to get various ingredients, touching various cupboard handles and couldn't be bothered to wash my hands that many times every day and it was easier to wipe down the shopping. The virus could survive in cold temperatures for days. I just quarantined RT goods for 2-3 days.

However, I then decided the risk of formite transmission was really low and stopped. Recently I have wondered whether to start again if the new variant is more contagious (mainly after seeing mumsnet posts of people who have caught it from either online deliveries or going for a walk!)

@Sparklingbrook

If there is enough virus to be dangerous on my packet of cheese for example, and I put it in the fridge and then wash my hands...that amount of virus will still be there when I pick up that packet to make my sandwich at lunchtime?

Is there enough virus to be dangerous though? Would you not wash your hands before you ate the sandwich?

Unless you are using sterile no touch technique to get your cheese out. If you’ve not cleaned the packet, picking up the packet and then handling the cheese transmits germs. Washing your hands after you’ve put cheese in your sandwich won’t help. That’s why washing down shopping before putting away or leaving dry food to sit for a few days helps.

We haven't don't the wiping down so far, as aerosol transmission seemed more significant than surfaces and also the consensus of scientific opinion was that this wasn't necessary. In addition, our shopping is packed by robots from Ocado, so less human contact.

If we are told we need to do more wiping, we'll consider it (we're also shielding, though maybe if the vaccine gets rolled out in a timely way, the whole picture will improve a lot (we can only hope)

Unless you are using sterile no touch technique to get your cheese out. If you’ve not cleaned the packet, picking up the packet and then handling the cheese transmits germs. Washing your hands after you’ve put cheese in your sandwich won’t help. That’s why washing down shopping before putting away or leaving dry food to sit for a few days helps

🤯

No I'm much too lazy to consider doing that.

I have since the beginning.

I did right at the start then personally felt it was probably unhealthy to be doing that with my health anxiety and all so I stopped.

I know someone who does this and cleans their car too with disinfectant but it doesn’t stop them going on the piss in the playground with school mums and all their kids....

Yes, I wipe everything down.

We still do!

Yes, just started again with wiping down delivered shopping. We used kitchen roll and Dettol.

No.

@Upupupintheair

As an ex supermarket picker - you should wash your shopping down if you get it delivered..

Where I work we all have to regularly sanitise and all have to wear masks. I'm more at risk working there than catching it from packets!

That's the impression I get from my friend @CandyLeBonBon lots of sanitising of everything when picking.

I did for the 1st 1, but gave up after a week.

Yes. Groceries, letters, parcels delivered, phone, cards basically anything that’s been touched. Same as I did last March, door handles, light switches, bannister, remote control.

@CandyLeBonBon where I worked (and I won’t name names) trolleys (for the pickers) and totes (the food crates which the shopping is delivered in) were never sanitised, we had to wear masks in store, but they weren’t compulsory in the warehouse, no social distancing and Covid was rife - that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I left because I felt unsafe.

I didn’t first time round. I eased off in the summer. I prob should really this time but haven’t yet ...

Been wiping shopping and everything that comes indoors since March, everything is wiped with disinfectant and soapy water mix with washable cloths, do this by the door before anything comes further into the house.

That way if there are any covid or other viruses on shopping I don't transfer virus into cupboards, kitchen surfaces, fridge etc. I have to consider CEV people and its not 100% clear how long virus survives on various types of materials so I'd just rather not take the risk of bringing it indoors.

We started washing it down again last week.