Wiping down/quarantining shopping and parcels

[TheLifeAndDeathBrigade]

Can anyone convince me either way? I've not found anything particularly conclusive (admittedly have not looked too hard as have baby and toddler keeping me occupied). Have had a few parcels delivered today that I'd like to rip open. I should just do it shouldn't I?!? Highly unlikely route of transmission?

I don't know anyone who does this. I don't know anyone who's had covid either.

It's a respiratory illness, other forms of transmission are much rarer.

It’s hugely unlikely to be a problem.

Open it, dispose of the packaging and wash your hands well.

Open the parcels, dispose of packaging and wash your hands

I think I'm slightly skewed as have a friend and relative who are both very anxious and use me as their outlet. I generally have kept risk very much in perspective but they're both horrified I don't strictly quarantine items entering the home

We open parcels outside, put the packaging straight into the recycling and wipe down whats inside and wash hands.

They make such a big deal of hand washing so presumably there is a chance of surface transmission so better to lessen the risk where possible.

Thanks for replies. Useful sometimes to have a little head wobble/reset from someone without health anxiety.

I have never done this. I just open them and wash my hands.

Open the parcels, put the packaging in the bin, wash your hands. I’ve had hundreds (literally) of parcels delivered in the last year. I’m tested every 48h and have never caught Covid from opening an Amazon box. It’s the same you would do after putting shopping away in the cupboard - you wash your hands straight away.

Transmission on surfaces of Covid is now thought to be quite rare. It's basically airborne.

If you were handling packages and then sort of licking your hands, I suppose there might be a risk.

How will you be convinced?

If I tell you I think washing shopping is the stupidist way to waste your time, for example, would you stop doing it.

If so, why? You don't know me or anything about me, why would you pay any attention to what I say?

Or, if I say I quarantine every single item that comes into my house including my children would you take even more precautions?

Interested in your logic on this one?

I know someone who does this. They have 1 pair of disposable gloves that they use every time. The poor delivery person/postie has to wait while they fanny about putting them on.

I’ve never done it can’t see me ever trying to do it to be honest

Open parcels and chuck away outer packaging, otherwise just wash hands after handling.

I've been really cautious in general but never quarantined parcels. There is no risk if you open it and then wash your hands - the virus is not going to jump into your nose the moment the parcel is opened. Even if the contents were packed by an infected person, by the time it arrives it's usually been in transit for 24 hours as a minimum and any virus on it is extremely unlikely to still be able to infect you.

I also think if this was a major route of transmission, we would have seen more hyper local outbreaks as whole streets and neighbourhoods have the same postie or delivery person.

When people say they wipe their shopping, what are they actually using?

I either open straight away and dispose of packaging then wash hands or leave it for a few days.

I do wipe down my shopping especially plastic and tins the risk is low but my DH does covid response so he gets data on how many positive people have been through the supermarket (as everyone has to shop) . Because the shopping is picked straight from the shelves it makes me feel better.

The risks are low - a delivery driver would have to cough or sneeze then deliver the parcel same with products in the supermarket. It can live on surfaces for up to 3 days but this is in lab conditions.

For me due to DH job I'm more cautious than I would be if I didn't know the information.

@piglet81

When people say they wipe their shopping, what are they actually using?

I use bleach wipes or bleach spray with kitchen towel. Wash any veg/fruit.

I've never done this, it just seems like such a faff. We order a LOT online too.

My DS did get Covid, but he caught that at nursery and none of the other four of us in the house caught it from him, so I'm probably a bit blasé now to be honest.

I've never done this but I have a friend who has washed all her shopping even before Covid. I did consider starting to do it at the beginning of the pandemic but decided against it as I knew it would make me anxious. I wouldn't know where to stop, shopping touches the bags, the bags touch the floor, the kitchen worktops, the boot of my car etc. I knew it would just make me worry more than necessary.

I did wash my bag of shopping last week because the woman serving me licked her fingers twice while serving me

I know a family who have not left the house since the end of Feb last year. The children have been homeschooled throughout. Everything that arrives at the house has to be put in a spare bedroom for five days, before it can be opened. Presumably perishables are wiped with bleach. Even when friends arrived with presents for the kids, the gifts had to be quarantined for days in the spare room.

Wash any veg/fruit.

One should do that regardless of Covid anyway.

For those using multiples bleach wipes, kitchen towel or disposable gloves every time something enters their house, are you not worried about the sheer amount of plastic it all accumulates to? Are there ways of doing it in an environmentally friendly manner?

Oh god I've never done this and I've been online shopping since the very beginning out of boredom/having things to look forward to

The advice has always been that it's not necessary to wipe down parcels.

I just crack on with parcels as usual.

I always did wash hands after the supermarket/ putting away as they get grubby anyway.
I directly know of three familes that have had the virus in the household all through childcare/ educational establishments.

I have had literally hundreds of parcels, flowers, plants, post, on-line shopping, and have never, ever, washed or wiped anything down. I don't remove outside packaging from food, and I don't rinse fruit either .

I just wash my hands after handling and whilst preparing food, and regularly throughout the day.