The coronavirus has been a global occurrence for a while now. It has left the world on standby. It infected more than 20 million people and has taken the lives of more than 700 thousand people according to global COVID-19 statistics.
Months after the pandemic hit, we saw the efforts of governments and private sectors. The unity and compassion for human life preservation became apparent in news reports and manifested into wonderful results. With this, statistics also show that almost 14 million people (roughly 70%) had recovered from the virus. But this doesn’t mean that the fight is over.
While governments are already doing their best—some more successful than others—in combating this virus, we as individuals should also contribute by keeping ourselves safe and following the best practices and guidelines laid out by health authorities. These instructions were created by experts who are studying the virus; they are not to be taken lightly. It might be good to follow it as if your life depends on it—cause it literally does.
While you may or may not have already done your own reading and taken measures to keep yourself and your family safe, it’s a real necessity to get reminders and more specific situation-based instructions that can boost your knowledge on COVID-19.
We as a company are also part of this fight against coronavirus, we compiled some instructions that can be our users’ guide for shopping in stores during the pandemic.
Have a peaceful and hassle-free shopping by following these guidelines:
1. Pay attention to local laws
As a precaution, many governments enforced strict quarantine and other anti-coronavirus measures. Some governments don’t allow people to go out of their homes, while others have already slowly transitioned back into normal life. Case in point, the rules regarding what you can and cannot do during this time differ from place-to-place depending on the severity of the virus. It would be best if you aim to always be informed.
Follow the local government announcement platforms to avoid being penalized for not following the proper protocols. If your local authorities require a permit when going out, make sure to secure it before going out to get groceries or essential needs.
2. Shop when it’s less busy
If you can, it would be really great to consider shopping when there are lesser people in the stores. If you do your shopping when it’s less busy, it would mean that the chances of getting the virus significantly lower as it needs contact to transfer from one host to another. With fewer people and less contact, you are more protected. If it’s possible for you, it would be best to avoid evenings or weekends as these are the times when it’s most crowded.
3. Make a purchase list
The benefits of making a shopping list before going to the groceries have been established and talked about pretty often by financial experts. According to them, a shopping list saves you money by letting you prioritize what you really need at the moment, it reduces waste by letting you skip on fresh food that might only end up in the trash, and saves you time and energy. In the current situation, the less time you spend outside, the safer you are from the virus.
4. Stock up, but don’t hoard
It’s good to think advanced and determine the things you really need and get more stock. This will enable you to go out less, and it means that you are safer from the virus. However, you have to avoid hoarding. There are downsides to taking much more than you really need—the items might end up not being used or spoiled, and you might be depriving others of getting their needs too. If there is a time to be mindful of your actions, it’s this corona time.
5. Know shop timings
Always check the store timings before going. You can check online or even call the store to make sure. Some stores changed their timings because of the situation. This is why it’s better to check to avoid any unnecessary travel.
6. Avoid shopping in groups
Shopping with friends and family can be a lot of fun. But it’s definitely not fun to get the virus from being careless. It’s better to handle the outside shopping individually, especially when there are elderly or young members in your group.
7. Create your shopping routine
Having a shopping routine can be helpful to lessen the amount of time you are outside. Being more calculated when you should be going out and when you should be inside may be helpful in pushing through this situation.
8. Wear your protective gears
As health experts and government agencies advise, it would be good to gear up when going out to shop. You should get and wear the necessary safety equipment such as face masks, safety gloves, hand sanitizers, etc. Some even prefer to wear face shields as it seems like it has more coverage, giving better peace of mind.
9. Don’t go out when you feel sick
This one’s a no brainer, but we’ll say it anyway. Just don’t go out when you feel sick. When you feel like you’re feeling something, it would be best to isolate yourself until you have gotten the testing. It would be better for you, your friends, and your family members if you act more cautiously in this case.
10. Remember to practice social distancing
As we already hear everywhere else, keep social distancing in mind. You also need to be mindful of the surfaces that you touch. It would be better if you only touch the items you intend to purchase, carry your own bag, touch your face, nose, and eyes as little as possible, and opt for more contactless options when it comes to payment.
11. Disinfect your purchased items
Many sources say that the virus may live on surfaces from 1 day on some types of surfaces to up to 5 days (on metal surfaces like doorknobs, jewelries, and silverware). This is why it’s better to disinfect the items you purchase before using any of them.
In case, you are not sure on what to purchase, you may consider any of the following:
12. Follow food safety practices
Prior to eating, wash newly acquired food under the running faucet water, incorporating those with skins and rinds. Scour firm produces with a perfect brush. For canned products, make sure to clean tops and side surfaces before opening.
While unloading food supplies, refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and different perishables (like berries, lettuce, spices, and mushrooms) within 2 hours of buying.
Routinely purify kitchen counters utilizing disinfectant items or a DIY cleaning mix containing 5 tablespoons (1/third cup) unscented fluid chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of water or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water.
Do not use this mix or other sterilizing items on food.
Continuously remember the fundamental 4 food safety steps — Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.
Final thoughts
While a lot of people have recovered and things are slowly going back to normal, the fight is still far from over. We must do whatever we can to help and not be a burden to others during this time. These things that I wrote are merely suggestions for when you really need to go out. But as a business that operates online, Buyaladdin still encourages people to simply shop online during this time. It’s still the best option that has lesser risks during the pandemic. Stay safe!
This blog post is curated from medical sources. But please be advised that our Buyaladdin authors are not medical experts and therefore cannot make medical or health claims.
