Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D., who co-directs the Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community at Simmons University in Boston, reminds us that we can’t necessarily control what we touch or who else touched it but we can look after our own hands.
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Other than frequent hand washing, wearing a mask and social distancing, smart, safe grocery shopping may be an additional, effective prevention strategy against COVID-19.
Certain foods, especially fruits that contain abundant bioactive compounds, are shown to modify the epigenome leading to beneficial health outcomes and anti-viral effects. Several flavonoids (disease-fighting compounds) are found in onions, oranges, green tea, and ripe juniper berries. Certainly, there are other healthy foods easily found in your local grocery store that contain critical disease inhibitors but the key is to use your hands wisely when doing grocery shopping.
As you approach the grocery store there usually are a variety of shopping carts waiting outside for your shopping convenience. It’s easy to extend your arm and grab hold of the shopping cart handlebar. Zing, you have joined a community of infectious organisms left there by any number of other customers eager to find the latest bargain.
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Your brain stores more information than the Library of Congress and processes it faster than a computer. So, as you enter the produce section your brain is calculating hundreds of choices quickly and your first reaction is to touch everything you see because the fruits and vegetables are colorful and pretty.
Be smart – think before you touch. Many other shoppers have been there before you arrived – they all touched, squeezed, smelled and possibly sneezed on all the produce which left little, unseen particles of themselves on the fruits and vegetables that you may not want to bring it home with you.
Next, you move onto the frozen foods section. You open the glass door (that multiple people have already touched) to get some ice cream. After placing the ice cream into your cart you notice that your nose is sniffy. Remembering you have a tissue, you reach into your pocket to blow your nose. By performing that action you have not only contaminated your pocket but potentially placed every germ or virus from everyone who touched the produce or the ice cream into your nose.
Well, let’s move onto the other sections of the store…
Unfortunately, without you being aware, grocery shopping can be a germ-filled experience.
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How can you as health-conscious shoppers and COVID-19-aware individuals decrease our exposure to disease-causing pathogens?
- Wipe off shopping cart handgrip before touching it
- Use your grocery list that includes foods abundant in Vitamin A, B, C, D, and good proteins
- Wear vinyl gloves while grocery shopping
- Use a face covering
- Consider using a grocery store bio-friendly paper bags
- Resist the ‘urge’ to immediately grab produce or other groceries
- Carry and use hand sanitizer
- Prepare before leaving home – place tissues/keys/phones in accessible places
- Designate a section of your vehicle for potentially contaminated grocery bags and wipe it down after shopping
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow
- Arriving home, wash fruits and vegetables in a clean sink or bowl in a bath of water and weak cider vinegar to decrease contamination
- Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds
- Maintain skin integrity for your often-washed hands by using hand cream
One closing remark, use your hands to shop for healthy food and read current, factual information about COVID-19.
