As grocery shopping remains a necessity during this global pandemic, many have voiced their concerns about food safety and whether there is a need to disinfect their groceries.
If you have such concerns, you don’t have to worry! There is no evidence of food and food packaging being associated with the spread of COVID19.
The novel coronavirus triggers respiratory illnesses, unlike the foodborne gastrointestinal viruses that are present in contaminated food.
You will have a greater possibility of contracting the virus by grocery shoppers than the food that you’ve touched and bought.
That said, it wouldn’t hurt to be equipped with safety measures when dealing with food. Thus, instead of the regular body hair removal articles, we’ll delve into tips and tricks that will keep you and your foods safe.
Supermarket safety measures
In order to curtail the spread of the virus, essential businesses are permitted to continue their business operations so long as they abide by the safety precautions issued by the government.
Supermarket chains such as FairPrice and Sheng Shiong have implemented stringent precautionary measures for both staff and customers.
Apart from including floor markings and reminders to promote safe distancing, they have upped their cleaning regimes to every hour or so, especially for high-touch surfaces like trolleys, baskets and checkout counters.
Hand sanitisers are also made available for customers, should you need them.
Although it’s slightly more difficult to implement the same level of safety precautions, wet markets have also taken the initiative to limit the spread. Both supermarkets and wet markets are carrying out crowd control measures to limit the number of patrons going in and out.
Popular wet markets such as Geylang Serai, have an even rigid measure whereby entry is further restricted based on the last digit of shoppers’ NRIC numbers – those whose NRIC’s last digit is an even number will be allowed entry on even-numbered dates whilst those with an odd number as their last digit can enter on odd-numbered dates.
A plus point for elderly, persons with disabilities and pregnant women: you can now shop at NTUC stores ahead of time. Enjoy a shorter queue by heading to any NTUC outlet on the first hour of their store operations on Mondays (or 7am-8am for their 24hours outlets).
Individual safety precaution
Unfortunately, safety measures implemented by these grocery outlets are not enough.
You will also need to do your part by maintaining good personal and respiratory hygiene. It means being socially responsible, that is, wearing a face mask whenever you head out and practising social distancing.
Shoppers with reusable shopping bags will need to regularly clean and wash them after every trip.
Home delivery
The best approach to greatly reduce the likelihood of becoming infected with the disease is to stay at home whenever possible.
If you have the financial means, you may want to consider having your groceries delivered to your doorstep. This means you can avoid exposing yourself to the large crowds that gather in the supermarkets or wet markets.
Some of the establishments that offer home delivery include Fairprice, Cold Storage, Redmart, Open Taste and Pasar United, to name a few.
Food preparation and storage
Last but not least, ensure that you properly prepare and store your food.
Rinse your fresh produce under running tap water and immediately refrigerate or freeze items that will go bad within 2 hours of buying.
You may even wipe down your groceries (not including produce and meats) and let them air-dry as an extra precaution.
With that said, remember to wash your hands and the high touch surfaces before and after you’ve put your groceries away.
Conclusion
Food is not only a necessity for sustenance and nourishment, but it’s also a source of comfort and relief from the anxiety and stresses caused by the global pandemic. With the tips above, hopefully, you can continue to buy your groceries with care and confidence.
Whilst many businesses and retailers are opening up as the country slowly ease its circuit breaker measures, we are, not one of those that are able to resume physical operations.
Despite our desire to assist you in ridding any unwanted body hair with our IPL hair removal treatment, we will prioritise the safety of our clients and staff by remaining closed until further notice.
That said, do check out our Home Edition! With the help of a portable hair removal device, supple and smooth skin is no longer unattainable!
