[NJTechDiv] Covid-19 survives on packages

[Mario Brusco]

please don't panic, just be aware and stay safe.

How to properly handle Amazon boxes and orders during the coronavirus
pandemic
(https://www.komando.com/news/how-to-properly-handle-amazon-boxes-and-orders-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/711838/) 



BY JAMES GELINAS, KOMANDO.COM, MARCH 18, 2020.

As quarantine and “shelter-in-place” orders become more commonplace,
Americans will be relying on delivery services more than ever before.
Sure, grocery stores and pharmacies are planning to stay open, but
ordering supplies online is still the best way to avoid exposure to
COVID-19.

The coronavirus is capable of sticking to surfaces for up to three days,
which makes disinfecting extremely important.

Tap or click to see the best disinfectants you can use.
(https://www.komando.com/lifestyle/coronavirus-disinfectants/710012/)

If you’re planning on ordering online from shipping services like
Amazon, here’s what you need to know about handling your packages,
cleaning them and making sure they’re safe enough to bring into your home.

What’s going on?

The National Institutes of Health are reporting reports the SARS-COV2
virus that causes COVID-19 is capable of clinging to surfaces for a
longer period of time than originally thought. The virus can be found in
aerosol particles for up to three hours, can cling to cardboard for up
to 24 hours and can stick to plastic and stainless steel for up to three
days.
(https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/new-coronavirus-stable-hours-surfaces) 



Previously, researchers assumed respiratory droplets were the primary
vector of infection. But this new knowledge, as well as the fact that
infected people can display no symptoms at all, shows there is so much
more we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

It also presents a new set of challenges for one of the most important
services we’ve come to rely on: delivery. Luckily, there are steps you
can take to make sure the packages you receive are safe enough to bring
indoors.

Get serious about sanitizing!

If you order a package from Amazon or another shipping service, the
first thing you should do is make sure the delivery person leaves it in
your mailbox or at your doorstep. This reduces face-to-face interaction,
which is key in our widespread social distancing effort to flatten the
curve of infection.

When ordering from Amazon, you can leave special delivery instructions
during checkout. On either the Select a shipping address or Review your
order page, choose Add delivery instructions and simply say you want
your package in the mailbox, on your doorstep or some other specific
location.

Once 3 hours have passed, you’ve reduced the chance of contacting any
aerosol particles from the delivery person.

Second, you’ll want to assess what kind of package you’re dealing with.
If you receive a cardboard box, you should handle it with gloves (if
possible) and place it in a safe, secure outdoor location like a
backyard, patio or balcony for 24 hours. If it’s a plastic package or
bag, you’ll want to leave it in your secure location for up to three days.

No time to waste!

Not everyone can afford to wait a few days for supplies. Some items,
like grocery deliveries, must be opened right away. This is where you
need to proceed with caution. If you treat your package carefully, you
can open it safely. Here’s how:

For perishable items, put them directly in your refrigerator and avoid
tables and countertops. Use gloves to handle the bag if possible and
avoid hugging it close to your body when moving it. Any outer packaging
should be removed and thrown directly into the trash before storing the
item in your fridge.

Once you’re finished, avoid touching or interacting with family members
and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm-to-hot water for 20
seconds. This will kill any traces of virus left on your hands.

Tap or click to see some of the other things you should sanitize aside
from your hands.
(https://www.komando.com/coronavirus/sanitize-overlooked-areas-coronavirus/711036/) 



No time to waste

Not everyone can afford to wait a few days for supplies. Some items,
like grocery deliveries, must be opened right away. This is where you
need to proceed with caution. If you treat your package carefully, you
can open it safely. Here’s how:

For perishable items, put them directly in your refrigerator and avoid
tables and countertops. Use gloves to handle the bag if possible and
avoid hugging it close to your body when moving it. Any outer packaging
should be removed and thrown directly into the trash before storing the
item in your fridge.

Once you’re finished, avoid touching or interacting with family members
and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm-to-hot water for 20
seconds. This will kill any traces of virus left on your hands.

Once 3 hours have passed, you’ve reduced the chance of contacting any
aerosol particles from the delivery person.

Second, you’ll want to assess what kind of package you’re dealing with.
If you receive a cardboard box, you should handle it with gloves (if
possible)
and place it in a safe, secure outdoor location — like a backyard, patio
or balcony — for 24 hours. If it’s a plastic package or bag, you’ll want
to leave
it in your secure location for up to three days.

If you’re ordering a takeout meal, leave instructions for the delivery
person to leave your food outside your door. Once they’re gone, open the
bag and empty the contents into your own bowls or plates. Then throw the
gloves and containers away and wash your hands with soap and warm water
for at least 20 seconds.

The food should be fine to consume this way and you won’t have to worry
about anyone picking up germs from the bag or containers.

These steps may seem extreme, but following these guidelines is a
surefire way to stifle infection. We need to be vigilant in preventing
the transmission
of the virus, and the more people who put the effort into doing so, the
safer the general population will be from disease.

Just like during the World wars, this is a time where every American has
a duty to help themselves and their neighbors. Only this time, we’re not
filing
into factories and laboring to make shells. All we need to do is stay
clean and remain indoors. That’s not too difficult, right?

Coronavirus: How to properly disinfect your smartphone
(https://www.komando.com/gadgets/coronavirus-disinfect-phone/709997/)

Coronavirus germs can survive on your smartwatch – here’s how to
disinfect it
(https://www.komando.com/news/coronavirus-smartwatch-sanitize/711840/)