“Gloves can give a false sense of security. They would need to be changed very frequently to be effective.”
SafeFood Ireland have said that there is no evidence that Covid-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging in guidelines issued to the public on grocery shopping.
Following “many questions” about handling groceries, SafeFood Ireland have issued advice to the public as to procedures they should undertake when shopping for groceries, as well as answering a number of the questions they have received from the public to date.
While there is currently no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging, SafeFood Ireland say that is important to follow good hygiene practices when handling or preparing foods.
It is not necessary, SafeFood say, to sanitise the outside of food packaging. While there is some evidence that the virus can survive on hard surfaces, the risk from handling food packaging is very low and there is no evidence that the illness can be transmitted in this way.
If sanitising surfaces or shopping bags, members of the public are advised to follow the manufacturer’s instructions about how much time is needed before wiping the sanitiser off.
SafeFood pleaded with people not to go shopping if they have Covid-19 symptoms, advising them to order online or have friends and family drop off groceries instead.
Amongst their responses to frequently asked questions, meanwhile, SafeFood say that “gloves can give a false sense of security” when grocery shopping and that “they would need to be changed very frequently to be effective”.
“It’s better to wash your hands often and avoid touching your face,” SafeFood say.
Advice on handling food and food packaging and frequently asked questions can be seen in full here.
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