A virologist has confirmed that ‘every surface is a hazard’ when it comes to COVID-19 and supermarket customers should be particularly mindful of the loose fruit and vegetables in the store.
Associate professor at the University of Sydney, Timothy Newsome, specializing in infection, vaccines and virology, told FEMAIL that while the virus can live on most surfaces, patrons doing their weekly grocery shop should be particularly wary of the fruit and veg aisle as customers are constantly picking up and placing back down items.
‘We have to remember that every surface is potentially contaminated. And like with any surface there is a risk,’ Newsome explained. ‘We don’t see it as high risk because that comes from sustained contact with other people, but nonetheless it’s important to be mindful.’
Another social media user shared this photograph to demonstrate how their household was now washing their vegetables amid the coronavirus pandemic
It comes after Lisa Mackenzie, from Scotland, shared a photo to Twitter of unopened chocolate bars soaking in a bowl of bubbly water (pictured)
‘It’s early 2020 and you are washing plastic-wrapped treats,’ Lisa captioned her amusing photograph (pictured)
A Michigan doctor has urged people to leave their groceries outside for three days or thoroughly disinfect each food product.
In a YouTube video posted on Tuesday, and which has more than four million views so far, Jeffrey VanWingen, a doctor at Family Medicine Specialists in Grand Rapids, warned customers to take extra care with their food packaging.
He suggests the best way to avoid picking up germs from your groceries is to leave them outside for three days before touching them.
But when this isn’t possible, he shows how he believes people should clean their items – by disinfecting each item with wipes or spray and ridding it of its outside packaging.
‘This all seems a bit time consuming, but, in truth, these days people do have a bit more time on their hands,’ Dr VanWingen said. ‘Let’s be methodical and be safe, and not take any chances.’
While it would be ‘poor practice’ to be testing ‘every avocado for coronavirus’, Newsome did say anything people can touch poses a potential problem.
‘People working in the supermarkets should be picking all of the fruit and veg up and setting it back down with protection,’ he said.
Luckily he noted a large proportion of shelf stackers and general workers wearing gloves and disinfecting their hands at every turn.
The best course of action is to wash your fruit and vegetables with soap as soon as you bring them home, not simply relying on the high heat of cooking them to ‘kill’ the virus.
‘Wash them with warm soapy water, just as you do your hands,’ he said.