For many Michiganders, heading to the grocery store is one of the only trips they should be making during the state’s “stay-at-home" order – and it can pose risks as the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread.
Fortunately, there are ways to make the essential getting-of-groceries safer as the pandemic sweeps through Michigan.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state stands at 2,295 as of Wednesday, March 25. The illness has caused 43 deaths. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s statewide “stay-at-home” order went into effect on Tuesday, and is scheduled to end on April 13.
Jeffrey VanWingen, a doctor at Family Medicine Specialists in Grand Rapids who created a video advising residents on how to disinfect groceries also has tips on how to shop safely.
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“When you’re out in the store, it’s not just about wiping down the shopping cart handle with an antiseptic wipe,” he said. “We need to be better than that.”
Here are VanWingen’s recommendations:
- Wipe down the cart with an antiseptic
- Commit to buying each item before touching it
- Don’t go to the supermarket if you have any respiratory illness or have been exposed to COVID-19
- Do not bring reusable bags that can become contaminated
- Don’t allow loved ones over the age of 60 to go the supermarket; drop disinfected groceries off at their home
- Plan to buy two weeks-worth of groceries to reduce shopping trips
More tips:
- Respect store’s posted senior shopping hours
- Keep your social distance – remain six feet away from other shoppers
- Do not return bottles
- Use a credit or debit card instead of (dirty) cash
- Disinfect groceries before putting them away in your home
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Online grocery shopping and delivery services, like Shipt or Amazon Fresh, are another option to reduce your exposure risk.
“Placing an order online reduces the amount of interpersonal contact, and consumers should take advantage of that option if they can,” said Shelie Miller, a professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability who studies food supply chains, food waste and the environmental impact of food.
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“Unfortunately, most online systems are not currently designed for the demand volumes that are being experienced and may be unable to keep up in the short term,” she said. “Consumers wishing to take advantage of online grocery delivery and pickup systems may not be able to do so until there is improved capacity to meet the high demand. As the current stress on the food system decreases, I would expect online grocery options to become easier to schedule.”
PREVENTION TIPS
In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.
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