Editor’s note: This article previously gave the incorrect amount of time that coronavirus can live on cardboard. The virus can live on cardboard for one day.

Whether it’s groceries or a take-out meal, food and its packaging should be handled with care and disinfected before it’s put away in your home while the world grapples with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, a Grand Rapids doctor is advising.

Jeffrey VanWingen, a doctor at Family Medicine Specialists, created a 13-minute video to show everyone how to bring food into their homes as safely as possible.

While in-depth research about this novel virus and its spread is ongoing, recommendations from doctors about how to handle food items are varied at this point. To see the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, check here.

VanWingen’s approach lands on the side of using an abundance of caution when it comes to bringing items inside your home.

“Imagine that your groceries are covered in glitter, and your goal at the end of this is to not have any glitter in your house, on your hands or, especially, on your face,” VanWingen said. “Imagine that disinfectants and soap have the power to dissolve that glitter.”

The National Institute of Health reports that coronavirus can live in air for three hours, on cardboard for one day, and on plastic and metal surfaces for three days.

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The best way to keep the “glitter” out of your home is to leave groceries outside (on the back porch or in the garage) for three days if possible, VanWingen said. If that’s not possible, he adapted a surgical sterilization technique for use on groceries.

HOW TO DISINFECT GROCERIES

“This all seems a bit time consuming, but, in truth, these days people do have a bit more time on their hands," VanWingen said. “Let’s be methodical and be safe, and not take any chances.”

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TAKE-OUT SAFETY

Sanitize a table before bringing in take-out food

Establish a dirty side of the table to place the take-out bags that are coming into the house, and a clean side to place items onto plates

Dump food from inside their packages onto plates without allowing the item to touch your hands or the outside of the package

Microwave hot food before eating

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The food isn’t the main concern since coronavirus doesn’t live long in hot food, VanWingen said. However, the packaging could be contaminated. Choosing hot foods from restaurants is safer than cold foods at this time, he added.

Also note that coronavirus can live in frozen foods for long periods of time, he said. The freezer should not be considered a safe zone. Frozen food packaging should be disinfected like everything else.

“Go out there, use this knowledge and do the best that you can,” VanWingen said.

Since March 10, COVID-19 cases in Michigan went from 2 to 1,791 on March 24, which was the day that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Shelter-in-place” order went into effect. There have been 24 deaths. Forty-one of Michigan’s 83 counties are home to a resident who contracted coronavirus. About 85% of the COVID-19 cases -- 1,561 of 1,791 -- are in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

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