Carry your own bag, wash plastic packets from grocery stores

New Delhi: As grocery stores become the only point of contact for people during the nationwide lockdown, experts advise that people must practice social distancing and take enough precautions while visiting grocery stores.

RS Mishra, Associate Director, Internal Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket, told IANS: "People should make sure that the store they are visiting is not too crowded and at all time, they should practise social distancing."

If the store is small, then a large number of people should avoid going in to prevent any close contact. Hand sanitisation is extremely important – once the people reach home after visiting a grocery store, it is crucial for them to sanitise and wash their hands. "Check if you can get some or all your daily needs online, carry your own bag when in a grocery shop, maintain a distance of at least three feet or more and avoid touching unnecessary items or surfaces," said Dr Harjit Singh Mahay, Additional Director, Critical Care, Fortis Hospital in Delhi.

"Instead of panicking that every product bought from the store might carry the virus such a packed food items, people should thoroughly wash the fruits and vegetables bought and maintain simple hygiene. These are few important things one needs to keep in mind while visiting a grocery store," Mishra added.

According to Navneet Sood, Pulmonology Consultant at Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital in New Delhi, keep one-metre distance from the people around at the store and don't touch your face while you are out of the house.

Once buying is done, cover your groceries safely and take them to the home.

"Leave them inside the entry gate once you reach home and go straight to the bathroom and take a shower.

"If there are airtight plastic packets then wash them with soap water and take them to the kitchen or just leave them there at least for 5 hours if possible without touching them, then after that pick them up for use," Sood told.