The coronavirus has changed a lot of things in our life and it’s tough to know what the protocol is with some things in our new normal. Like, for example, online shopping. Is it even still ok to get things delivered? The short answer isyesbut the long answer isit’s complicated.
- Can packages carry the virus?The official word is that the risk of getting infected from a package is very low and that even includes if an infected person has touched it. Assistant professor Brian Labus says “the virus might be able to survive a few days given the right environment” but even if you opted for next day shipping, “it will be long dead by the time you purchase.”
- Should new purchases be washed?First of all,you should be washing your new clothes before you wear them even when there isn’t a global pandemic going around.Your best bet is to wash everything thoroughly with hot water and American Medical Women’s Association leader Saralyn Mark says you should follow basic hygiene protocols like washing “surfaces with alcohol-based products and clothing in detergent in hot water.”If you bought something other than clothes and want to give it a wipe down, it probably wouldn’t hurt.
- Mail carriers are at risk.A recent study found coronavirus can survive for up to 24 hours on cardboard, up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel, and it’s not clear how long it survives on paper. So the answer is yes, postal workers are at risk, and that’s why more than 40,000 people have signed apetitionasking the United States Postal Service to “take immediate action to ensure the safety and rights of its workers.”So while you can still order things online, you may want to keep it to a “must-have” basis.
The co-founder of the marketing firmMetaforceAllen Adamsonis encouraging everyone to “resist the urge and comfort of double-clicking on Amazon or Walmart.” Lots The pandemic is hitting small businesses hard so consider shopping local as much as you can. Adamson says “think small. Send someone flowers. Get your shoes polished or heels repaired. Buy gift card[s].”
Source:Bustle