Protecting Yourself From COVID-19 While Grocery Shopping

Regular grocery shopping is essential for keeping our homes stocked with food. Shopping also provides social opportunities for visiting with friends and neighbors. It's unfortunate, but as long as the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is circulating among us, it's important to take action to minimize risks for spreading COVID-19 illness. Read more about the Coronavirus and COVID-19 in the article Questions and Answers about Coronavirus and COVID-19. 

In grocery stores, we can focus on two main areas

1. Using good hygiene practices before, during, and after shopping, and
2. Preventing contamination of you or others while shopping. Most of the recommendations are the same as those for preventing contamination of food with harmful bacteria.

Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued COVID-19 prevention requirements for grocery stores and people who visit them. A link to the full requirements of the proclamation is referenced at the end of this article. Here are some ways you can protect yourself and others from becoming infected in grocery stores.

Planning ahead for shopping

• Do not go shopping if you are sick or have symptoms typical of COVID-19, which include a fever, cough, or shortness of breath. If you are ill or are uncomfortable going out in public, consider ordering groceries and other items online for home delivery or curbside pickup if possible.
• Check with the store ahead of time to see when they are open for business. Some have reduced their hours to allow enough time for daily sanitation procedures. In Pennsylvania, grocery stores must reserve shopping times for people who are at a higher risk for developing more severe COVID-19 symptoms. These are individuals who are over the age of 60 or have chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease. Find out ahead of time when these time slots are available.
• In Pennsylvania, grocery stores are required to limit the number of people allowed in the building at any time to 50% of maximum capacity. Checking store websites or calling ahead to determine when waiting times are lowest can save you from frustrating delays.
• Prepare a shopping list for 1 or 2 weeks worth of groceries. A list keeps you organized and reduces the amount of time that you spend in the store. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises consumers that there is no need to buy more food than you need for your family. Buying excessive quantities creates unnecessary demand and temporary shortages.
• If possible, leave the children at home. Tending to kids when shopping can be distracting and increase the amount of time you are in the store.
• Bring a hand sanitizer and surface disinfectant wipes with you. In Pennsylvania, food stores are required to regularly disinfect carts, baskets, and checkout areas. Having your own supply on hand can be useful if the store runs out.  
• Some stores are asking customers not to bring reusable shopping bags that have become popular in recent years. They may ask you to use the store-provided paper or plastic bags at check-out to prevent cross-contamination.
• Bring a facemask. Health experts recommend, and some government agencies require, wearing a facemask while out in public and where social distance may be difficult to maintain. In Pennsylvania, facemasks are now mandatory for workers and shoppers at grocery stores and other essential businesses. A simple cloth mask can provide some protection for spreading coronavirus to others. The CDC reference at the end of this article has instructions for making homemade masks. Surgical and N-95 masks are in short supply and should be reserved for the medical community.
• Some shoppers think that wearing gloves while shopping will protect them from the virus. But gloves can spread the virus just as easily as bare hands. It's important to focus on the main route for coronavirus transmission - inhalation of airborne droplets expelled into the air during coughing and sneezing. Simply washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after shopping is enough to permanently inactivate any virus particles that might be on your hands.

Precautions to take while shopping

• When entering the store, look for signs that explain the store's policies for reducing COVID-19 transmission risks. In Pennsylvania, all customers must wear masks while on the premises.
• If the store provides disinfectant wipes, wipe down the handle of your grocery cart or basket. If none are available, use your own. You can use the same wipe on electronic scale panels before entering the produce ID codes.
• Remember to maintain social distance during shopping — that's about 2-3 arm lengths or 1½ - 2 shopping cart lengths from others. If the store is crowded, consider leaving and coming back at a different time when business is slower.
• Find ways to minimize the amount of time you spend in the store. Try to plan your path through the store and keep socializing with friends and neighbors to a minimum.
• If you must use your cell phone, use the speaker setting to minimize touching your face. Be sure to regularly disinfect your cell phone if you use it in public according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
• Look for store-provided hand sanitizer stations and use them regularly while you shop. If the store does not have them, use your own.
• In the produce section, select with your eyes instead of your hands. Don't handle exposed fresh fruits and vegetables unless you intend to purchase them. If possible, use the plastic bags provided by the store to pick up produce items before you weigh them and put them in your cart.
• Look for fruits and vegetables that are already sorted and pre-packaged in plastic or paper bags instead of those displayed individually. The same advice applies to other items sold in bulk such as nuts, dried fruit, and candies.
• At check-out, maintain social distancing between you and other shoppers while waiting in line. In Pennsylvania, store personnel are required to regularly sanitize conveyor belts and maintain social distancing. Unload your cart only when the checker is ready for you and do so on the part of the belt farthest between you and the checker. Once you have unpacked, move to the payment area to complete your transaction.
• Use credit card payments whenever possible. Cash and check transactions require more time to complete and involve more human contact.
• As you exit the building, once again, apply store-provided sanitizer or use your own. When you get home, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Bringing your groceries home, unpacking them, and storing them

• There have been some suggestions on social media that people should disinfect packages or food with disinfectant wipes or sprays. According to the CDC, there is no evidence that food or food packaging contaminated with coronavirus particles has caused COVID-19 illness. Nor is there any evidence that the virus can be transmitted through food. If virus particles are present on package surfaces, they do not remain infectious for long — only a few hours for paper and cardboard materials and a few days for hard surfaces such as plastic and metal.
• If you still feel uncomfortable about virus survival, set non-perishable food packages aside in a clean location for a few days or wipe them down with household disinfection wipes. Read the label directions on these products to determine if they are effective against viruses and the correct way to apply the product. Never wash fruits or vegetables with household disinfectants and do not wash produce with detergents or bleach solutions. These can leave undesirable or unsafe residues. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or an acid such as vinegar. These combinations can generate dangerous fumes.
• Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and other perishables, like berries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms, within 2 hours of purchasing.
• If you are using reusable bags, follow the guidelines for washing them after each use described in the Penn State Extension article, Caring for Reusable Grocery Bags.

By following the requirements and recommendations in this article, we can all stay healthy and safe. 

References and further resources

Centers for Disease Control (CDC). "Running Essential Errands: Grocery Shopping, Take-Out, Banking, Getting Gas, and Doctor Visits." 

Centers for Disease Control (CDC). "Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19." 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "Shopping for Food During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Information for Consumers."

Penn State Extension. "Caring for Reusable Grocery Bags."

Penn State Extension. "Questions and Answers about Coronavirus and COVID-19." 

Pennsylvania Department of Health. "Order of the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Directing Public Health Safety Measures for Businesses Permitted to Maintain In-person Operations."