Wiping groceries in pandemic

[Peony88]

Did everyone follow gov. advice during pandemic & wipe all online groceries deliveries? Was anyone perplexed by the about turn when it was suddenly OK not to bother, & wondering why there was such distinct advice to do so in the first place? Has it badly affected anyone to the extent they feel anxious about touching unwiped groceries now - even if they know it is "irrational"? Shielded to protect elderly Mum in pandemic but she tragically died near end - not covid - but she wiped down groceries religiously (war child generation - obeyed gov. "orders") & I put them away etc. We could have done without the hassle & fear. Now I feel huge sorrow & anger about it all - & the gov's obvious double standards & betrayal that subsequently came to light & its effect on vulnerable people. Thank you.

Gently, it’s nearly 2026, why are you still dwelling on this now? It was a difficult time for everyone and some things were said and done that people don’t like, but I think generally it’s the view of trying to keep people safe from a novel, highly contagious virus. I’m sorry about your mum but if you are still, thinking about this now it maybe time for some help.

No I didn’t. I didn’t honestly think it was a real thing until people on here were claiming they did it every time and also made their family take off their clothes at the door! I had Covid very early on just before lockdown, so to be honest I thought we’ve had it now and I wasn’t really concerned. It made me very poorly, so I did do things to reduce the risk to other people but not things to reduce the risk to my household (who had all been unwell or exposed).

I washed and wiped down all mine for a long time. I think I did it for several years, I no longer do.

But I sanitise my hands after touching shopping baskets or trolleys and wash my hands when I come home after doing the shopping, not just because of covid but because of all the disgusting people who sneeze into their hands and don't wash their hands after using the loo, the handles are rife with all sorts of germs. I also still wear a mask on crowded public transport and always on planes.

I have actually had far fewer colds and bugs since that time and I put it down to my extra hygiene measures which I don't find onerous in the least.

Yes my Nana and my brother who is asthmatic did. The lockdowns we the start of the end for her. It was unforgivable really

I didn’t realise this was actual government advice, I thought some people just chose to do it. I only know one person that did because they had an elderly and vulnerable parent living with them and they had heard other people were doing it.

Since Covid, we have all tended to keep up with washing our hands whenever we come home and we have had less colds in the house since then, so I think we’ll keep it up. It got to be a habit and I don’t think it’s a bad one.

Do you think you would benefit from speaking to someone about losing your mum?

I don’t remember any government advice about wiping groceries.
Do you have a link @Peony88 ?

I also remember people quarantining post for 72 hours before opening it. I also lent some books to an elderly friend and they were quarantined in her garage for 72 hours before she would read them

I am fairly sure that it wasn’t government advice to wipe groceries. More something that was spread through social media.

No I didn't do that. Just washed my hands after putting them away.

Early on it was thought that Covid was transmitted from touch points, then they found out it was almost totally airborne. The virus could only survive for a very short time on a surface, which was communicated relatively early (before the second lockdown as far as I can remember).
I wiped my shopping twice, but then stopped when the info was updated. It was all fairly fast moving and lots of new info for the scientists to figure out.

Why is this still playing on your mind so strongly. It seems that maybe your grief process has got hooked onto this aspect of lockdown. Figuring out some clarity through some counselling or structured working through your grief may help eg through Julia Samuels‘ app or book

I never did, it seemed ridiculously over-the-top. I stayed away from people, worked from home, but washing tins etc just seemed batshit to me. I’ve always had and used hand sanitiser so did continue with that.

No i didn’t nor did anyone else I personally know, we also ignored much of the other pettiness instead using sound scientific judgement instead, thankfully we had access to proper scientific evidence

I remember it being the advice, but I also remember an awful lot of things that came up as 'the best advice we can give right now' and then stopped being the best thing to do because the scientists and government advisors realised they weren't actually that effective. I was working in an environment that meant we still had to have staff on site and the staff were coming to me and my team for advice on how to come to work safely and stay safe while they were there so I spent a lot of time keeping up with whatever advice was being given and checking out the available science behind it.

Looking back it's easy to see that some things were unnecessary but the people doing the research and giving the advice were as scared as the rest of us, they having to work fast, and they were doing their best. Be as angry as you want with government hypocrisy but to question every piece of advice given as if it was all a situation that someone should have been ready for is going to get you nowhere.

No.

I was pregnant in 2020. I had to go to the hospital pretty much every two weeks all the way through for scans and other things as I had a few issues (those hospital appointments were absolute bliss, 4th pregnancy, so I was used to heaving waiting rooms filled with people and kids running around, long wait times, the maternity department was like a ghost town, it was much less stressful).

It was fucking mental what I was told to do by some midwives.

I was to quarantine my notes in a plastic bag by the front door for three days, strip off as soon as I got in the door, put my clothes straight into the washing machine and then get straight into the shower making sure I washed my hair.

Fuck me. As if my cardigan was going to kill me. I did none of those things, it was utter madness.

There was no official recommendation to wipe down your groceries in the UK. There was briefly in the US but they soon moved away from that advice.

I agree with PPs saying this wasn’t official gov advice. I never did. I only knew people did it because it was mentioned on here.

No, never did it, we were never told to or advised to.

I didn’t do this and thought it was a ludicrous thing to do

I think it’s completely logical- they thought the virus was spread by touch points and for most people food was the only thing coming into the household

presumably when they realised warehouse workers/ delivery people/ supermarket staff weren’t getting ill more than anyone else they realised it wasn’t necessary?

like others I didn’t think it would official guidance though, just something people did

@Peony88 I suspect your post isn't really about wiping down groceries

For reference, I was considered a bit of a hygiene fiend prior to Covid. People thought I was OTT about hygiene and some people actually apologised to me!

I did not wipe down groceries and I don't remember it being government advice - but I can believe they might have said it. I can't say for sure, but I don't remember it being said.

Regular and frequent handwashing is something I have always believed in and I do wish people would keep it up. It certainly helps in terms of controlling the spread of norovirus.

I hope you're okay. It sounds like you've been through a lot and it's possible you've misremembered things because of that?

Once when an entire depot went down with covid an hour after my parcel was dispatched from the depot the drivers were told to deliver everything and isolate afterwards I put everything on my lawn disposed of the packaging washed the items in soapy water and washed my hands thoroughly they were plastic litter trays so it wasn't an issue washing them but my actual shopping? No I did it because they had more likely than not been in contact with covid and I had two clinically vulnerable people in the house (three if you count me i always forget 😂🫣) I usually wipe litter trays down anyway as they come in a bit dusty but this time I hosed them off 😂

I would agree with this
The early advice has to be seen in the context of the virus being unknown and not understood
I worked connected with charity shops, even when they reopened the advice was to section off donated goods so they were effectively quarantined (for a few days I think) before being put out for sale
But also for a long time now there has been a world of other advice, context and good and bad things in the world
please do seek support

the pandemic was excellent at making others realize that many people are immunocompromised.
i being on the healthier side did not need to focus on much more than the obvious for myself and dh (hand washing, social distancing, having a supply of typical cold and flu meds to avoid visiting the hospital).

but i fully respect those who's health and use of medications means they need to live life more cautiously.

I was heavily pregnant at the height of Covid. My GP told me I should be wiping down all of the shopping - what a load of rubbish! I didn't.
Had my last little one May 2020 - a wonderful private home birth. Mat leave was shit though!

No, I never did this.. I used to come home from the school run and wash my hands ( the only place I went to at the beginning). I studied a bit of micro biology in my degree, so I think understanding it made me less scared than most people. I'm not a germ phobic either. I'd rather have exposure to germs. My friend would antibac everything, and her kids were constantly unwell.