Shopping in the COVID-19 World

 

At this point, everyone living in the COVID-19 world undoubtedly understands the importance of sequestering, thoroughly washing your hands, covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing, and keeping a "social distance" from other human beings. You should also be shopping online as much as possible and wiping down packages once they arrive. But what exact procedure should you follow when you have to leave your house to pick up urgently needed items such as food, medicine or home supplies?  The procedure below may seem like overkill but think again. When it comes to the coronavirus, being safe and being "pretty safe" may be the difference between life and death. This procedure will only take a few additional minutes of your time.  You'll get used to it.

Goal:

Minimize the chance of catching the coronavirus while shopping

Assumptions:

1. You are clean (you don’t have the coronavirus), your house is clean and your car is clean.
2. You don’t want to disinfect your car, wash your clothes or take a shower when you return home.
3. You’re wearing a pair of pants with 2 deep pockets.
4. You have two keys/cards/fobs to operate your car.

Going out to Shop:

1. Scrupulously plan your shopping trip.  You want to spend as little time as possible in the store.Before leaving, put a credit card and one of your car “keys” into a small reusable, washable cloth bag. 
2. Put on your “outside” shoes (i.e., shoes you never wear inside the house).
3. Put your other car “key”, your wallet and your phone completely in your pockets.
4. Pack a bunch of reusable washable cloth bags to hold your purchases.
5. When you arrive at the store, put on a pair of disposable medical gloves. 
6. Once the gloves are on, don’t touch your face or your clothes.
7. Bring only what you absolutely need into the store: shopping list; the small bag containing your credit card and key; and reusable shopping bags. Your wallet, phone and second "key" are in your pockets.
8. Be sure to keep the small bag and your shopping list in your hand or in the shopping cart at all times.  Do not put either item in your pocket!
9. Shop as you normally would, but maintain a 6’ distance from all other human beings. 
10. Don’t sit, lean against a wall, or allow your clothes (other than shoes) to come into contact with anything.
11. When checking out, maintain a 6’ distance from the cashier (your biggest risk on this trip). Put all of your purchases on the checkout counter and bag your purchases at the other end of the counter using reusable washable bags. Use separate bags for items that can be left in quarantine for 3 days to decontaminate.
12. To pay, use the credit card in the small bag. After paying, put the credit card back in the bag and put that bag in the top of the shopping cart or in a shopping bag where it can be easily reached later.
13. Put your groceries in the cart and walk to your car. Take the “key” out of the small bag, unlock your car and load your groceries into the trunk. At no time let any of the bags come into contact with your clothing.
14. Safely take off your gloves (see the graphic below) and discard in a nearby trash can.  If no trash can is available, drop them into a shopping bag for disposal at home. 
15. Close the trunk without touching the same spot that you used to open it.
16. Using the key in your pocket, get in your car and drive home. (Your hands and car interior should be clean.)

Once You Arrive Home:

1. Put on your “inside” shoes.
2. Take your purchases out of the trunk. Discard gloves if you still have them.  Your hands are now contaminated.
3. Bring all non-essentials to a special quarantined area within your house and don't touch them for at least 3 days.  If no area exists, leave them in your garage.
4. Bring produce, items needed immediately, items needing refrigeration/freezing and the small bag containing your key and credit card to a pre-defined “dirty” counter near your kitchen sink.
5. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
6. Thoroughly rinse all produce with cool/cold water; no soap or disinfectant should be used.
7. Fill a basin in your sink with warm soapy water. Submerge and wash all purchases that can be cleaned in this manner (bottles, cans, items sealed in plastic packaging, etc.)
8. Spray and wipe down all other items (including your credit card and “key”) with soap and water or disinfectant solution. 
9. Place all washed items on a pre-defined “clean” counter to be used only for cleaned items.
10. Put all reusable washable cloth bags into your washing machine.
11. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
12. Thoroughly clean all countertops used in the cleaning process.
13. Since you can’t be sure you won’t need your car within the next 3 days, clean any external areas of your car that you touched while unloading. Cleaning your trunk is optional, but remember that it will be“dirty" for at least the next 3 days!
14. Clean any doorknobs that you touched and any place that was touched while cleaning your purchases.
15. Clean the spray bottle and any other items you used during the cleaning process that weren’t discarded.
16. Put all washcloths and towels that were used in the washing machine.
17. Clean the places that were touched on the washing machine; throw that cloth in the wash too!
18. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds one more time.
19. Have a drink. I don’t care what time it is. You’ve earned it.