Do not touch: places in the supermarket that can become hotbeds of viruses
'21.07.2022'
Source: AIF
Under the conditions of self-isolation, many began to order food at home. However, not everyone can or wants to use delivery services. So that the grocery shopping trip does not end with the infection with a new coronavirus infection, you must remember the safety rules. AiF.ru found out what places in stores can be breeding grounds for the virus.
Doors and their handles
Today, many chain supermarkets are equipped with automatic doors. If the entrance to the store does not have a special mechanism, the door handle, which is not regularly disinfected, is one of the potential sources of infection with COVID-19. Dozens or even hundreds of people touch it every day.
Usually door handles are made of metal, which can be covered with plastic. As a study by a group of American scientists published in the New England Journal of Medicine in April 2020 showed, getting on surfaces, SARS-CoV-2 survives best on stainless steel and plastic. On them, it can remain viable for 72 hours. According to WHO, this period for plastic is up to nine days. Therefore, it is necessary to open the door with gloves, after which it is desirable to treat them with an antiseptic.
Handles of carts and baskets
Like door handles, shoppers constantly touch the handles of carts and food baskets.
Moreover, it is not necessary to sneeze or cough directly on the cart: to get the virus on it, it is enough for a sick person to cover his mouth with his hand, and then hold the handle with your fingers.
Before the pandemic of the new coronavirus began, experts have repeatedly raised the issue of the safety of handles of carts and baskets in supermarkets. So, a study conducted in 2018 by scientists from the Spanish city of Las Palmas showed that the number of bacteria on the handles and child seats of carts is much higher than in public toilets, airports, public transport stops and other crowded places. Similar studies in connection with the new coronavirus have not yet been conducted.
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In some countries, handles of trolleys were processed in front of visitors at the entrance, but in Russia this practice is not accepted. In order not to become infected with COVID-19 after using a trolley or basket, Rospotrebnadzor recommends wiping their handles with a wet disinfectant cloth. You can also use gloves. And some people even come to the store with their cart or bag, in which they immediately put the products (this is not forbidden by the rules of the stores).
Racks and the space between them
To get coronavirus, you don’t have to stand shoulder to shoulder with a sick person. This was proved and clearly demonstrated at Aalto University in Finland, where they collected data from various scientists of the country and prepared a special video. It shows the possibility of the spread of the virus after a person coughs in the aisle of the store between the racks.
The 3D simulation frames show how, in a few minutes, tiny drops not only spread around a person, but also reach neighboring racks and shelves. When inhaled by healthy people, they can cause COVID-19. American researchers who studied the ability of coronavirus to survive on various surfaces found that in the form of sprayed microdroplets, the virus can remain viable for three hours.
To protect against this method of transmission of coronavirus, it is necessary not only to maintain social distance, but also to wear a medical mask in public places. As previously reported in Roskachestvo, this personal protective equipment partially protects a person from viruses entering the respiratory tract by filtering out part of the air when inhaled. You can increase the effectiveness of a medical mask by using sealed goggles with it. The most affordable option of suitable ones is swimming goggles.
Ticket Office
Even observing all safety rules inside the trading floor and avoiding contact with other people, the buyer is forced to interact with the cashier. In this situation, danger can await both when the distance with the store employee is not observed, and when paying for goods.
Many experts are convinced that during a pandemic, it is better to abandon the use of cash. This is due to the fact that the new coronavirus can theoretically survive on banknotes.
According to WHO, SARS-CoV-2 is able to remain on paper for up to three to four days. But even the preferred method of payment using a credit card or phone may be unsafe. It is worth remembering that the virus can also be located on payment terminals and buttons for entering a PIN code. Therefore, after using them, you should wipe your hands, card or phone with a napkin with an antiseptic.
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Assembly line
No less dangerous place in the cash zone is the conveyor belt. In 2009, researchers from the US state of Michigan found a large number of bacteria, mold and yeast in all of the studied tapes of the city's supermarkets. In total, they checked 42 tapes in various stores, and the result was depressing everywhere. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the tapes are made of PVC, which is a porous material. So, even a thorough treatment of these surfaces cannot guarantee the complete absence of harmful bacteria and viruses.
In order not to become infected with coronavirus, it is necessary to carefully process with soap or antiseptic products that are laid out on tape. Also, do not touch it with your bare hands.
The products themselves can also be a potential danger: a virus can also get on them, because it is not known who touched them before you. After returning from the store, Rospotrebnadzor recommends wiping all plastic, metal or glass packaging. This can be done with soap and water. Only after this procedure, purchases should be put away on shelves or in cabinets. Other types of packaging are recommended to be treated with antibacterial wipes.
If fruits or vegetables were bought that were lying on the counter without packaging, the Roskachestvo advised to soak them in water for 10-15 minutes before use. For example, this can be done with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. After this, the products must be thoroughly rinsed under running water. Edible-skinned vegetables are best washed with a neutral soap.
