Firstly, I'd like to apologize for inadvertently initiating a light discussion about grocery shopping during the COVID pandemic, this in the thread for "Dinner thread for Wed. 15th" - that thread wasn't the place for that commentary, but I'd like to add a bit to it here:
For those of you who have read my comments in that thread, I mentioned that upon my DW returning home from grocery shopping, together we regularly quickly disinfect all of our grocery "packaging" - (i.e. the container boxes, the cans, the bread or meat wrappers, etc. - this done simply with just dish soap in hot water) in the event, however minimal, that an asymptomatic other shopper just before my wife, had touched &/or coughed droplets onto another cereal box, food container, bread wrapper, whatever- left on a store shelf -
this being done because some medical experts here in Canada have said the virus droplets may survive up to several days on some surfaces - cardboard for one, being an example.
I also went on to say that as for 'groceries' per se - whether it be any pieces of fruit or vegetables - we have always washed/rinsed any such groceries before consumption or putting away temporarily, and continue to do so during this pandemic.
You may consider this to be somewhat paranoid, but I even wash my hands after handling & having read the morning newspaper which I fetched from the stoop - in the unlikely event the delivery person who placed the paper on the porch may feel well but be asymptomatic with the virus, and be contagious.
Am interested in any comments about how you other folks feel about these or other measures being taken to protect yourselves to lessen the risk of infection ?