People in India have responded as a responsible citizen to the PM’s call of a national lockdown to fight against COVID-19. Currently, all are staying at home and practicing social distancing.
But have you eradicated all risks of contracting coronavirus? Although you are washing your hands thoroughly after coming inside your house, do you also have to clean and disinfect everything that comes in from outside like groceries? The answer is yes. Continue reading to know the significance of disinfecting and how to do it.
Why clean groceries and other essentials
A certain type of virus causes COVID-19. Viruses, as you may know, can only multiply and grow inside a living host. But the disturbing news is, they can remain alive for anything about few hours to few days on various kinds of non-living things.
The same is true for COVID-19. Let’s take a glimpse at how long this virus can last on a specific surface-
Cardboard, clothes, and paper – 24 hours
Plastic and metal – 72 hours
This means you can bring the virus to your home from the things you purchase. Therefore to prepare yourself for such a situation, make sure to
buy health insurance policy.
How coronavirus can end up in your homes through the things you buy
Groceries and food and anything that you order online can come right to your doorstep, packed into cardboard boxes. Similarly, when you go for grocery shopping, you store them into plastic or paper bags.When goes out for shopping groceries or something else, you may accidentally touch something that was earlier touched by an infected person.
Measures to prevent COVID-19 from entering your house
Dispose the Package-
When groceries or food are delivered to your home, tear off the plastic or cardboard packaging, and let someone with clean hands draw the products out. Keep a dustbin outside and dispose the package. Wash your hands completely with water and soap.
Use Reusable Bag-
If you are going to the grocery store or market, take a nylon or jute grocery bag with you. Wash your bag thoroughly once you come home.
Wash Vegetables and Fruits Thoroughly-
The viruses can survive for a while on your vegetables and fruits. So they need to be sterilized. Soak them in water for about 5 minutes with potassium permanganate and then rinse them completely. Or simply scrub them for about 20 seconds under running water.
Clean Your Phone Cover-
Clean your phone cover with an alcohol-based solution when you come home.
Prefer Online Transactions-
Try not to pay with cash as it changes hands many times. A banknote may have the virus. Use online transactions, if possible.
Clean Yourself Properly-
Wash your clothes with detergent and water as soon as you come in. And don’t let anyone come near you until you have cleaned yourself.
All these are some precautions that you can take to prevent COVID-19. Also, if you want an extra layer of protection then go for health insurance. This is a very critical time. You should be very particular about keeping yourselves and everything around you disinfected.
