How to Handle Packages During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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How to Handle Packages During the Coronavirus Pandemic

 

With social distancing and self-isolation increasingly becoming the norm (and, in many cases, a government

mandate) during the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of Americans are actively avoiding the crowds at Costco and the

grocery store in favor of shopping online.

 

(And, of course, most of the products we recommend here at Wirecutter are purchased online and delivered to your

door.)

 

But the packages you order on the Internet aren’t exactly sterile.

 

They’ve each likely been touched by multiple people—the person who put your food or item in the package, the

person who loaded it onto a truck, the person who hands you your bag or box, and so on. How careful should you

be?

 

 

How long does the coronavirus live on packages?

 

 

In a guide to cleaning and disinfecting in households that have suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that “novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days

on surfaces made from a variety of materials.”

 

The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 could survive on cardboard for up to 24 hours, according to a study

conducted with members of the Laboratory of Virology with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious

Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as reported by MIT Technology Review.

 

However, that figure is based on a very small-scale study in preprint, which means it hasn’t been published yet and

has not been peer-reviewed. With the cardboard testing, which was done three times, the study says the data was

“noticeably noisier” than with the other surfaces tested, and it “advises caution in interpretation.”

 

 

In its COVID-19 FAQ, the CDC talks specifically about packages and products that ship from China. For guidance,

the CDC looked at previous coronaviruses and said, “In general, because of poor survivability of these

coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a

period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures.”

 

Should you disinfect your packages?

 

 

The CDC’s advice on protecting yourself does not include advice on disinfecting packages. Its general advice

stands: Wash your hands frequently and avoid close contact with people.

 

In its guide to how COVID-19 spreads, the CDC says that we don’t know exactly how the novel coronavirus is

transmitted, but it’s thought to be mainly through “respiratory droplets” between people who are within 6 feet of

each other. “It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus

on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes,” the CDC says, “but this is not thought to be

the main way the virus spreads.”

 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says, similarly, in its guide to control and prevention, “At this

time, there is no evidence that the COVID-19 is spread through environmental exposures, such as coming into

contact with contaminated surfaces.”

 

To be extra-cautious, particularly if you are in a higher-risk group, you can dispose of outer packaging outside of

your home and wash your hands immediately after handling. But this is likely not necessary for most people’s

handling of most cardboard packages.

 

Remember, too, that on the way to picking up your package, you may be touching a number of things that qualify

as “frequently touched surfaces,” such as an elevator button in an office building, the shared doorknob on the front

door, or the stylus that you use to sign for a package. Being aware of your contact with these surfaces is just as

important—and maybe more important—than the way you handle packages. Washing your hands will help reduce

the risk of infection from surfaces like doorknobs, too.

 

What are delivery services doing to keep your packages safe?

 

Of course, the person who touches your package last is likely your delivery person, and it’s in everyone’s best

interest to make sure they’re staying healthy.

 

When we reached out to UPS to ask about package safety and delivery-driver health, its representative pointed us

to a statement on the UPS site, which says, “If a UPS employee experiences symptoms such as fever or respiratory

infection, they are required to seek medical treatment immediately.”

 

If you want to limit contact with the delivery person, you can use UPS My Choice for free to leave instructions on

your deliveries.

 

In a statement on its website published on March 4, the United States Postal Service says it is following safety

guidelines from the CDC.

 

In a statement on its site, FedEx says it is encouraging employees to monitor their health and asking anyone with

flu-like symptoms to stay home, while sanitizing stores and trucks regularly.

 

On its blog, Amazon wrote that it has created the Amazon Relief Fund, which would allow “our independent delivery

service partners and their drivers, Amazon Flex participants, and seasonal employees under financial distress ...

the ability to apply for grants approximately equal to up to two-weeks of pay if diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed

into quarantine by the government or Amazon.”

 

Each service says deliveries are continuing without interruption, aside from packages going to and coming from

China and Hong Kong, which are seeing some delays. That may change as guidelines from local and federal

government change. We also know that many COVID-19 carriers are asymptomatic for days before realizing they’re

sick. Be kind to the people working hard to get your packages to you, and practice good hygiene when you touch

the things they touch....

 

 

SOURCE & Further reading

 

https://thewirecutter.com/blog/coronavirus-packages/?utm_source=pocket-newtab