Now that we know the Covid-19 can spread through the air and when coming in contact with the contaminated objects, there are still many things that are not yet clear. What about the food and water? Does COVID spread through Food and Water? What if you plan to go for a swim on the beach or in a swimming pool? Will you get infected with the Coronavirus? What happens when you order the food from the restaurant or buy the fruit & vegetable from the shop? Here we have compiled the facts from the various sources and here are all your answers.
Due Covid Pandemic all of us are either sitting home or visiting our vacation homes to spend some quality time with our friends and family but what if you want to plan a pool party at your farm house? Is it be safe?
According to the reports, the WHO (World Health Organisation) believes that the virus spread mainly through personal contact with the infected person. When the infected person speaks loudly, sneezes or coughs, the respiratory droplets spread infection from one person to another within the range of 6 feet. The other believes that it is airborne and spreads the tiny particles through the air from person to person, especially indoors with little ventilation.
How safe it is to go for Swim During the Covid?
According to the reports, there are no evidences of virus spreading through pool water once it is properly cleaned with the chlorine or bromine since it inactivates all kind of viruses and bacterias. The the question here is, then why the pools are not allowed to open?
Making use of Swimming Pool During Covid
The report claims that it is not the pool water but the erratic human behavior that spreads the virus. If someone spits out a big mouthful they accidentally almost swallowed, it could still infect people in close range when heads are out of the water.
The virus spreads through breath and saliva and when people engaged in the play inside the pool there is a possibility of spreading the virus person to person from their companions’ breath or saliva through shouting to be heard at a noisy pool.
The outdoor public pools are more prone to the spread of the virus compared to indoor private pools since former ones have a high traffic of people visiting from various locations and you have no idea who is carrying the virus. In the public pool area, people touch the railings, doors when they get inside the premises or come out of the pool. There is also a high risk of getting infected in the shower area, food counter lines, and indoor areas with a lack of proper ventilation.
The above all possibilities make pools highly unsafe despite the fact that the water may be cleaned with chlorine. Everyone is not symptomatic and more spread of the virus is done by the asymptomatic people who spread the virus unaware of the fact that they are spreading it to others.
Spread of Coronavirus Through Food
Although many food outlets and restaurants are allowed to open during the unlock down the process but they hardly have any customers or guests due to the fear of the spread of the virus through food and water. According to the reports, there is no evidence of anyone contracting the coronavirus through food containers they get from the food delivery services. Many restaurants across the world at present offering food delivery services since people are skeptical to visit the restaurants and sit inside the closed places. Many restaurants now also offer no-contact takeaways and delivery to lessen the risk of transmission.
Food Delivery During Covid (Image Credits: Pixel by Norma Mortenson)
But you cannot rule out the possibilities of containers having traces of the virus and hence you can always follow the safety guidelines to make sure that you remain safe from virus. Always wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water after handling takeout containers, and then transfer food to a clean dish using clean utensils. Wash your hands again before eating. After disposing of containers, clean and disinfect any surfaces that had takeout containers on them.
How to save yourself from COVID infection when you go swimming or order food from outside?
Although the best suggestion is to avoid visits to the outdoor public pools and eat the food cooked at home then as a social creature we get bored with the same food and sitting at home all the time, in such case how can you save yourself from getting contracted with Coronavirus? here are the tips that may help you keep yourself safe during this pandemic.
1. It is very much obvious that you cannot swim in the water with a mask on but you can always wear the mask when you come out of the pool after a swim.
2. You should always avoid touching the ratings while coming out of the pool as well as while going for the shower or washroom.
3. Keep yourself sanitize as frequently as possible and avoid sharing personal belongings such as towels with others.
4. Keep the mask on to avoid the possibility of getting infected when someone sneezes or coughs near you.
5. Although according to the CDC there is no evidence of spread of covid happening through food it is advisable to cook the food at home then visiting or ordering from the restaurants.
6. There is a possibility of one of the staff engaged in the kitchen might have an infection but since the food is cooked it may not spread through the food but the possibility of packaging carrying the virus cannot be ruled out although no such evinces have come forward yet.
Shopping During Covid (Image Credits: Pixel by Anna Shvets)
7. According to the reports, the virus that causes COVID-19 cannot grow on food. Although bacteria can grow on food, a virus requires a living host like a person or an animal to multiply. However, it is important to safely handle and continue to cook foods to their recommended cooking temperatures.
8. It is quite natural to be worried about the food items that we bring from outside but make sure that you Do NOT use disinfectants designed for hard surfaces, such as bleach or ammonia, on food packaged in cardboard or plastic wrap.
9. Do not wash the fruits, vegetables,s and other produce with soap, bleach, sanitizer, alcohol, disinfectant, or any other chemical. Just gently rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under cold, running tap water.
10. Scrub uncut firm produce (e.g., potatoes, cucumbers, melons) with a clean brush, even if you don’t plan to eat the peel. Salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, and lime juice have not been shown to be effective at removing germs on produce.
The bottom line is precaution is better than cure and for something that is as serious and incurable as Covid-19 the precaution is the only option, hence always remain safe and avoid getting into trouble with Covid-19.
Note: All the facts in this article are supported by the various media releases and from reliable sources. In case you find anything that according to you is incorrect please does write us back on [email protected]
