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Extremely important PSA: How to avoid Corona through food & groceries (UP: Video debunked, please see OP)

HustleBun

HustleBun

Member
Nov 12, 2017
6,075
Mod edit: The video originally linked contains misinformation; see twitter thread below for details



Hi Mods, please don't lock this unless this exact topic already exists.

We're learning more and more about how just how long Corona virus lasts on certain surfaces (many for up to 3 days). Health officials are concerned that it's spreading through food orders and shopping because we haven't had access to necessary information to stay clean.

Please, please, please watch this video.
I know it's scary, I know it's frustrating but it's important. Every single one of you should consider all of these precautions.

Mod edit:
video removed.

**OP EDIT**
the twitter thread above debunks some of his points but make a point to say that he won't point out some of the things that the video got right.

Be careful about packaging and objects that have been recently touched by other humans, especially when ordering food. It doesn't hurt to spray surfaces or move to new plates and containers if there is a risk.
But...

The other stuff is apparently heavily disputed (groceries in garage, washing fruit with soap).

I apologize and I didn't mean to spread any misinformation. I had seen the video being co-signed by health workers and felt it was important to share.

Definitely feeling like a dummy right now.
 
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Fat4all

Fat4all

Woke up, got a money tag, swears a lot
Member
Oct 25, 2017
92,557
here
there's some great tips in that video, especially organizing areas into 'clean' and 'dirty' sections, so you can properly disinfect and in a smarter way
 
Orayn

Orayn

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,929
I am addressing this by being scared out of my mind and not buying groceries or getting delivery anymore. When my current apocalypse pantry runs out, that's it for me.
 
skeptem

skeptem

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,745
I'm not one to dissuade people from taking extra measures, I do some of these things myself. But,
It should be worth mentioning that the CDC has stated that they do not believe the virus is typically transmitted via surfaces. Also, the data about 17 days on a cruise ship was incorrect.
 
Keldroc

Keldroc

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,978
The virus is detectable on surfaces up to 3 days later. That means trace RNA from it can be identified. That does not mean it is still able to infect someone who touches the surface. If you want to go to these lengths, that's your prerogative, but most virologists do not consider this a likely vector. I realize you can't be too careful but this video is spreading needless paranoia. If the virus was that hardy and able to infect that long after contact, we'd all have had it long before now. It's spreading quickly, but not that quickly.
 
Eggiem

Eggiem

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,774
skeptem said:
I'm not one to dissuade people from taking extra measures, I do some of these things myself. But,
It should be worth mentioning that the CDC has stated that they do not believe the virus is typically transmitted via surfaces. Also, the data about 17 days on a cruise ship was incorrect.
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This. And there has to be much virus on the surface to be infective. Like someone sneezing on that orange and putting it back.
 
CrankyJay

CrankyJay

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,318
Before even seeing this video I had a clean surface and dirty surface and using Clorox wipes to wipe down my groceries.
 
sredgrin

sredgrin

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
12,276
Working at a store I'll offer these tips:

- He talks about it in the video a little, but just flat out don't bring your own bags unless it's required in your state. We flat out aren't allowed to even touch them at my store. You can bag your stuff directly in them if you want though.

- At the checkout line, if you have to hand the cashier a membership card or photo ID, well, don't. Hold it in your hand or place it down somewhere where they can access the needed info / barcode on the card, but minimize the chance to accidently contact each other.

- This is something that takes getting used too due to social basics, but you need to make sure you don't come into physical contact even slightly with other people. That means at the register, you set your cash, coupons, etc down rather than directly handing them to someone. Similarly, you receive change this way, so stop sticking your hand out. Avoid having cashiers hand items or bags directly to you. Put it (or have them) put it directly in the cart. I have so many people as I load a bag and start to set it down on the belt grab it before I can even clear my hand from the handles and I swear I'm gonna snap at one of them eventually. These are all actions people do to be polite normally, but you gotta resist it, I'm sick of trying to follow guidelines only to see some meaty paw block off the platform designed for me to put my change down.

Now, these are mostly things to protect me, but it goes both ways, especially if I get it from that meaty paw on my fingers, you don't want me touching your fingers next either.
 
AlexBasch

AlexBasch

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,307
I have become used to the idea that anything from the outside is fully contaminated with COVID-19, so cleaning everything clean with disinfectant wipes has become a must for me.

My parents are following the same steps and hopefully we won't have to deal with an infection from getting groceries or food.
 
PrivateWHudson

PrivateWHudson

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,215
Do chlorox wipes work? I bought a handfull of stuff, and the guy bagging was just using the same gloves that have touched everything else with, so yeah, I wiped everything down that he was man-handling.
 
El Bombastico

El Bombastico

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
36,023
Keldroc said:
The virus is detectable on surfaces up to 3 days later. That means trace RNA from it can be identified. That does not mean it is still able to infect someone who touches the surface. If you want to go to these lengths, that's your prerogative, but most virologists do not consider this a likely vector. I realize you can't be too careful but this video is spreading needless paranoia. If the virus was that hardy and able to infect that long after contact, we'd all have had it long before now. It's spreading quickly, but not that quickly.
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Better safe than sorry...
 
Keldroc

Keldroc

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,978
El Bombastico said:
Better safe than sorry...
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Not really. This is going to last months. We can't go around acting like bread is radioactive when it's not. I mean do what makes you feel okay with what you bring into your house, obviously, but that video is just going to scare people more than help them. Respiratory viruses simply don't work that way. As long as you're not smearing your hands on the contaminated bread package (which most bread packages almost certainly are not) and then sticking those fingers directly up your nose, taking normal precautions like washing your hands should be enough. The vast, vast, vast majority of the people who contract this are getting and are going to get it from inhaling shared air in a small(ish) space with infected people. You're more at risk from breathing in the supermarket than you are from touching a delivery bag.
 
Combo

Combo

Banned
Jan 8, 2019
2,437
I have been trying to explain this stuff to people and they debate me. But if I show them a video they will follow it.

Thanks.
 

reKon

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,703
Wash your hands before you eat EVERY TIME and keep the area around you sanitary, BOOM!
 
PunchyMalone

PunchyMalone

Member
May 1, 2018
2,248
I've seen sources say it's not airborne, and others saying it can be in droplets in the air for potentially 3 hours. How is that not airborne then? Wouldn't just breathing in that air hours later be hazardous?
 
JCizzle

JCizzle

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
7,302
Keldroc said:
The virus is detectable on surfaces up to 3 days later. That means trace RNA from it can be identified. That does not mean it is still able to infect someone who touches the surface. If you want to go to these lengths, that's your prerogative, but most virologists do not consider this a likely vector. I realize you can't be too careful but this video is spreading needless paranoia. If the virus was that hardy and able to infect that long after contact, we'd all have had it long before now. It's spreading quickly, but not that quickly.
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This is my concern. I think precautions are warranted (duh), but they should be grounded in good science. Telling people to wash all their groceries will just turn into the boy who cried wolf after awhile when this shit keeps adding up.
 
Keldroc

Keldroc

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Oct 27, 2017
11,978
AlexBasch said:
Yeah, no way I'm gonna be isolated and then getting this shit by not wiping a bag of Doritos, lol.

Also, droplets might fall on your shoes or clothes, right? Isn't that another risk?
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Not especially, no. If the virus was that easily spread, again, we'd all have it already. It's a new virus, not a super invincible magic one. The same precautions you take for not getting sick during flu season (other than getting a flu shot, obviously) are effective against the coronavirus. It is not any more resistant to soap or any more magically able to spread without a sufficient viral load present in the environment than any other respiratory virus. This is precisely why the "don't touch your face" thing is one of the primary precautions. It has to get into your airway in a large enough quantity that it can take hold in your respiratory system.

Respiratory viruses, including this one, don't live especially long outside the body. The "detectable for X days" thing is irresponsible reporting, because "detectable" does not mean the same as "infection capable." Being able to detect RNA strands days later is not the same as live viruses being present in sufficient numbers to infect a person who touches the surface. Yes, be careful, be clean, wipe down what you feel should be wiped down, but this thing is not radioactive. It's far, far more important to avoid crowds and stay out of enclosed spaces with other people whose air you don't have to share at home.
 
Like the hat?

Like the hat?

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,569
I'm more concerned that this overuse of disinfectants and hand sanitizer and all this is just going to lead to an influx of super resistant bacteria and viruses.
 

Deleted member 22750

Oct 28, 2017
13,267
Yikes

isn't spraying your fruit with Lysol a bad idea?
But...
Im sure you would rather eat a little poison over covid-19 though
 

Deleted member 17860

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,198
Sketch said:
Hi Mods, please don't lock this unless this exact topic already exists.

We're learning more and more about how just how long Corona virus lasts on certain surfaces (many for up to 3 days). Health officials are concerned that it's spreading through food orders and shopping because we haven't had access to necessary information to stay clean.

Please, please, please watch this video.
I know it's scary, I know it's frustrating but it's important. Every single one of you should consider all of these precautions.



Safe safe and healthy everyone.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


there are some good points here but it seems a little too paranoid and im a real germaphobe,( i wash my hands like 30 times a day). Also, you should always get the stuff in the back of the shelf or at the bottom of the produce and dairy.. he should of had gloves on in the video also
 
The Boat

The Boat

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,860
Keldroc said:
The virus is detectable on surfaces up to 3 days later. That means trace RNA from it can be identified. That does not mean it is still able to infect someone who touches the surface. If you want to go to these lengths, that's your prerogative, but most virologists do not consider this a likely vector. I realize you can't be too careful but this video is spreading needless paranoia. If the virus was that hardy and able to infect that long after contact, we'd all have had it long before now. It's spreading quickly, but not that quickly.
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Yuuuup.
 
apieceofstrange

apieceofstrange

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,017
PunchyMalone said:
I've seen sources say it's not airborne, and others saying it can be in droplets in the air for potentially 3 hours. How is that not airborne then? Wouldn't just breathing in that air hours later be hazardous?
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That initial report about the virus surviving in the air for 3 hours was refuted a few hours later, but I still see a lot of people thinking it's true. If this was the case, there would be a ton more people infected.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to correct the statement that coronavirus-infected droplets from a cough can survive for up to three hours in the air. That time period only applies to the pathogens that were aerosolized in a lab setting for the study reported by the New England Journal of Medicine. So far, there has been no evidence that aerosolized coronavirus is driving the pandemic.
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PunchyMalone

PunchyMalone

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May 1, 2018
2,248
Terra Firma said:
Who said it's not airborne? The main reason we are doing social distancing is because it is airborne.
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I think what I read said because it's in water droplets from your breath, and not inherently airborne itself? I don't know, I've read so much stuff it's impossible to keep up with, lol.

apieceofstrange said:
That initial report about the virus surviving in the air for 3 hours was refuted a few hours later, but I still see a lot of people thinking it's true. If this was the case, there would be a ton more people infected.
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That's comforting to hear. My roommate thinks he has it, and we've taken massive precautions for a while now. But if just breathing in a room he was in hours after he left was hazardous, this thing seems impossible to avoid.
 
MrDaravon

MrDaravon

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,976
daegan said:
this thread has some interesting contradictory points: https://twitter.com/bugcounter/status/1243319180851580929
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This. Most people in medical and scientific fields I know as well as other articles etc largely agree with this twitter thread. As mentioned in the thread the video has a few good common sense things re: hand washing etc but most of it is hyperbolic or nonsense. N E V E R wash fruit with soap, holy shit. This is also a pretty good article regarding food and handling as well:

www.seriouseats.com

Food Safety and Coronavirus: A Comprehensive Guide

Questions about COVID-19 and food safety, answered.
www.seriouseats.com www.seriouseats.com
 
Dankir

Dankir

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Oct 26, 2017
2,513
We did our first Costco run today in 2 weeks. Was very organized, they let a few ppl in at a time and they have a really good system at the cashier to disinfect everything.

We just wiped everything down with Lysol wipes when we got home
 
Speevy

Speevy

Member
Oct 26, 2017
19,325
Can't you just put your groceries away and then don't eat them for enough time for the virus to stop being viable?

That's what I did. I bought some crackers which I'm sure are safe but I chose not to eat them for several days.
 
wandering

wandering

flâneur
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
2,136
The video posted in the OP has been heavily criticized for misinformation by numerous scientific experts.

Donald Schaffner, professor at Rutgers University specializing in food science and food safety, posted a twitter thread taking down some of the more dangerous falsehoods presented in the video, which we encourage people to take a look at.

In summary: wash your hands frequently, but do NOT wash your groceries with soap or leave them outside several days in an attempt to eliminate the virus.

 
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The Albatross

The Albatross

Member
Oct 25, 2017
38,958
I saw a Twitter thread debunking this video earlier today but hadn't actually seen the video. Glad to see it.

I sympathize with the doctor trying to keep people safe especially because he asks people to be nice. I trust he doesn't have bad motives. Still there's some bad advice in the video.
 
nampad

nampad

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,238
This would have been blasted from all official channels if this was true.
Don't know how you can take some youtube video as advice then.
 
SageShinigami

SageShinigami

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Oct 27, 2017
30,456
Comparatively I don't know shit about science but the thing that set me off was when he put the fruit in soapy water. That's never been common practice. EVER. There's probably a reason for that.

And yeah, from someone who's gotten water out of a recently washed cup without properly clearing it of soap...you don't wanna do that lol.
 
Razgriz417

Razgriz417

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,105
wandering said:
The video posted in the OP has been heavily criticized for misinformation by numerous scientific experts.

Donald Schaffner, professor at Rutgers University specializing in food science and food safety, posted a twitter thread taking down some of the more dangerous falsehoods presented in the video, which we encourage people to take a look at.

In summary: wash your hands frequently, but do NOT wash your groceries with soap or leave them outside several days in an attempt to eliminate the virus.

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-food-risk.html decent summary here
 
OP
OP
HustleBun

HustleBun

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Nov 12, 2017
6,075
wandering said:
The video posted in the OP has been heavily criticized for misinformation by numerous scientific experts.

Donald Schaffner, professor at Rutgers University specializing in food science and food safety, posted a twitter thread taking down some of the more dangerous falsehoods presented in the video, which we encourage people to take a look at.

In summary: wash your hands frequently, but do NOT wash your groceries with soap or leave them outside several days in an attempt to eliminate the virus.

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Thanks for this.

I had seen scientists and health professionals in my network co-sign some of his advice and it caused me to take it very seriously.

Mainly that moving ordered food to new containers, washing down jars and frozens is very smart.

I've also heard the cardboard carrying fact a lot. Though the virus is at its most contagious earlier on, it is still possible to contract from surfaces after hours.

The avoidance of bringing groceries into the home or washing fruit with soap felt odd to me.

I appreciate the balance of information and I feel reassured as well. It's going to get even harder to discern helpful information from mixed and false information as time carries on.

Thank you for not locking this. It's so important to separate fact from fiction when dealing with this.

Sorry again everyone.

I feel pretty dumb.
 
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JaseC64

JaseC64

Enlightened
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,008
Strong Island NY
I'm kinda glad the video is contested because this shit would be like too stressful to deal with as is. Oh so now I have to wipe every little piece I buy and shit? God damn.
 
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