7 Serious Eating Risks You Should Avoid This Pandemic

4. Avoid eating out of takeout containers

I’ve come to find that this is something few people think about.

Dr. William F. Marshall from the Mayo Clinic admits that so far there’s no evidence of anyone getting infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus through food containers. However, he does recommend transferring your takeout meals to a clean dish and to wash your hands before and after the process.

This safety measure is useful because the food containers had just been touched by members of the delivery service you picked, and we still don’t know how long the coronavirus survives on different surfaces. Even if it weren’t for COVID-19, there still are plenty of bacteria and viruses lurking around, so if you can eat from your own clean plate, why not?

5. Always wash fruits and vegetables

I assume most of us were already doing this step before the pandemic, but now it’s even more important to continue pursuing this healthy habit.

Much like food containers, experts don’t have any evidence that people can contact the SARS-CoV-2 virus from fruits and vegetables. However, we know that the virus can stay on different surfaces for different periods of time, so it’s always good to wash them as soon as you get home.

Dr. Abinash Virk, infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic, explains that the biggest risk of infection in this case would be if you touch your face right after touching a food exposed to the virus. I know, the risk may seem small – but this isn’t the time to take any chances.