1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: brain Stuff, Lauren Vogue bomb here. This episode is part 3 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: of our ongoing series surrounding the novel type of coronavirus 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: identified in twenty nineteen, which causes what's therefore being called 5 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen. Because everything is a little less scary when 6 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: you understand it better, So wash your hands has become 7 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: the mantra of And we've all heard about the importance 8 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: of cleaning and sanitizing surfaces. But once you've made your 9 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: home a haven for sheltering in place, how do you 10 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 1: bring new items into your sanitized safe zone. We still 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: have to eat and get essentials, after all, So what 12 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: can we do to get those groceries? Take up meals 13 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: and mail order products inside safely. Concern over how to 14 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: do just that lead one family physician from Grand Rapids, Michigan, 15 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: Dr Jeffrey Van WinGen, to record a video on the 16 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: subject and put it up on YouTube. You might have 17 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: seen it, as it's received more than seventeen million views 18 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: in just a few days and sparked discussion among experts 19 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: who have helped Ben WinGen make updates. Ben WinGen told us, 20 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,559 Speaker 1: I'm glad I stirred the pot in that way. As 21 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 1: a primary care physician, my focus is on prevention. I 22 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,199 Speaker 1: think it's really important for people to do the best 23 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: they can to not contract COVID nineteen. Statistically, every person 24 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: who gets it infects two or three other people, So 25 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: prevention is critical for flattening the curve and see our 26 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: previous episodes for more on that and keeping safe those 27 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: among us who would be most vulnerable to the worst 28 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: effects of the disease. Ivan WinGen said, things are evolving, 29 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: We're becoming more aware, and we're trying to share best practices, 30 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: and one of those practices is to think of your 31 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: groceries as just another surface that has to be sanitized. However, 32 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: despite ongoing recommendations about sanitizing surfaces and washing hands, touching 33 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: everyday objects is not the main way that this novel 34 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: coronavirus is transmitted. Being in close proximity to other people 35 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: is the main way that we catch and credit. According 36 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: to the Centers for Disease Control, there is quote likely 37 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: very low risk of spread from food products or packaging 38 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: that are shipped over a period of days or weeks 39 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: at ambient, refrigerated or frozen temperatures and they say that's 40 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: because of coronavirus's poor survivability on surfaces. Nevertheless, the study 41 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: we cited in a previous episode from the National Institutes 42 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: of Health found that the novel coronavirus remains infectious for 43 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: up to three hours in the air, twenty four hours 44 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: on porous surfaces like cardboard, and seventy two hours on 45 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: hard surfaces like plastic and stainless steel. Hence the ongoing 46 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: recommendation to wash your hands and sanitize surfaces when groceries 47 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 1: have just come from the store where numerous people may 48 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: have touched them recently or worse sneezed on them. Sanitizing 49 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: that packaging too starts to sound like a pretty good idea. Still, 50 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: Van WinGen admits that the data from the NIH study 51 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: offers the worst case scenario of coronavirus viability in a lab. 52 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: He said, in the real world that virus degrades with time, 53 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: but especially for those of us who interact with someone 54 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: who's at higher risk, it's best if you have the 55 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: time to go ahead and take the extra step to 56 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: disinfect your groceries using a sterile technique similar to the 57 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: one used in medical fields. Here are the basic instructions. 58 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: If possible, leave nonperishable groceries outside of the main area 59 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: of your house, say in a mudroom, porch or garage, 60 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: for three days. This allows them to meet the seventy 61 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: two hour viability time frame determined by the ni H. 62 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: If you use a shopping service, you can have the 63 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: delivery person leave the groceries outside if due to whatever 64 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: circumstances you're in, you have to bring the groceries inside sooner, 65 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: including for those perishable items. You can use Vinwingen's modified 66 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: sterile technique to remove possible coronavirus from containers and from 67 00:03:55,400 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: the groceries themselves. First, sanitize a table or onter top 68 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: with a standard disinfectant. You can find the Environmental Protection 69 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: Agencies approved list by running a search for EPA approved 70 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: disinfectants such as Chlorux disinfecting wipes or a certain lice 71 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: al sprays. Designate one area as the clean section and 72 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: another as the dirty section. When you bring everything inside, 73 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: put your groceries in the area you're designated as dirty. 74 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: Then saturate a cloth with disinfectant and start wiping. Items 75 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: in hard plastic are easy to clean, but other products 76 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: should be removed from their wrapping or containers. For example, 77 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: pull the cereal bag from the box and throw away 78 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: the box, then put the cereal bag in the clean section. 79 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: You can also move products to new containers. For example, 80 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: empty a bag of bread into a plastic container rather 81 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,919 Speaker 1: than sanitizing the bread bag, and wash all fruits and 82 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: vegetables no soap necessary. Of course, before you can even 83 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 1: unload those groceries, you have to get them, and that 84 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 1: grocery shopping safely, and that starts in the store when 85 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: you go. Practice social distancing. Don't touch your face, come 86 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: home and immediately wash your hands. Consider wearing a mask 87 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: just in case you have COVID nineteen and don't know 88 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: it yet. That will help prevent you from spreading it 89 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: to others. A mask is also a good reminder to 90 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: keep your hands away from your face. If you have kids, 91 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: it might be tempting to get them out of the house, 92 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: but grocery shopping is not the time. You want to 93 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 1: spend as little time in the store as possible. It's 94 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: best to plan what you want to buy before you 95 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: go and avoid picking up items to look at them. 96 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: Only touch what you intend to buy. Stay at least 97 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: six ft about two meters away from other shoppers and 98 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: store employees. To help with this, some grocery stores are 99 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: limiting the number of shoppers permitted inside at one time 100 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: and marking distance placement for checkoutlines. You can follow similar 101 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 1: steps if you get food via takeout delivery or a 102 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 1: drive through. Minimizing human contact during the food exchange is 103 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: best if you can have your deliveries left on your 104 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: doorstep and pay and tip electronically. Again. Once your meal 105 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: enters the home, take it out of the container or wrapper. 106 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: The food itself is not the issue with coronavirus, though, 107 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: to be extra safe, you can pop your to go 108 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: food in the microwave for a bit because heat destabilizes coronavirus. 109 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,799 Speaker 1: Despite providing many precautions, ben WinGen does not want people 110 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: to fear food. He said, this is not a food 111 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: born illness. Knowledge is the best way to combat fear. 112 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: If we do the best that we can. We're going 113 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: to do our part every person out there, to lower 114 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: the curve. Today's episode was written by Carrie Whitney, PhD. 115 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 1: And produced by Tyler Clay. For more on listen lots 116 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: of other topics, visit how stuffworks dot com. Brain Stuff 117 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: is production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts for 118 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, 119 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.