How to Shop During Coronavirus

Buying Essentials in Person

1. Designate a single shopper for your household if possible. In some areas, only one person per household is allowed to shop in stores. However, even if this restriction isn't in place where you live, it's still best to limit exposure by only sending one person out to buy essentials.^[1]

   1. Sending the same person out to buy essentials every time ensures that only one person in your household is exposed. If someone in your household is still going to work, they may be the best person to send out on errands, since they're already out.
   2. If you have small children that you can't leave at home by themselves, it's okay to take them with you. Just make sure that you control their movements and keep them from touching things or getting too close to other people. For example, you might want to keep a toddler strapped in a car seat or stroller while shopping.
2. Make a list before you go to the store. When you're shopping during a pandemic, your goal is to get in and out of the store as quickly and efficiently as possible. Some areas are limiting the length of time people can stay in stores. However, even if your time in a store is not restricted, this isn't a time for you to meander up and down the aisles just seeing what's there.^[2]

   1. Restrict your list to essential items that you and your family need, including food, medicines, and household supplies.
   2. Write your list on a single piece of paper that you can throw away after you leave the store. Don't keep it on your phone or you'll constantly have to check your phone while at the store, potentially spreading germs.
   3. Group the items on your list into categories that are typically found in the same areas of the store so you'll be more efficient in your shopping. For example, you might have a group of dairy items, a group of fresh produce items, and then another group for pasta, grains, and other staples.

   Tip: Don't forget snacks and treats! While you might not consider these things strictly "essential," if a carton of ice cream would make you smile, go ahead and add it to your list. Your mental health is important and this isn't the time to deny yourself an occasional treat.

3. Go shopping when the stores are less busy. With so many people working from home (or not working at all), common traffic patterns have been disrupted. However, many stores are likely to be less busy early in the morning or late at night.^[3]

   1. Many stores have designated the first hour they're open as "senior hour" specifically for the elderly and more vulnerable people to shop. Check the store before you go and don't visit during these times unless you're a member of a vulnerable group.

   Tip: If you search for the store on Google, a box typically shows up that tells you when the store has the most traffic so you can plan your visit accordingly.

4. Wear a cloth or paper mask while out in public. A cloth mask not only keeps you from inhaling virus particles but also protects people around you from your own germs. Because you may not have any symptoms for several days after you've contracted the novel coronavirus, the mask is a necessary precaution to help slow the spread of the disease.^[4]

   1. Avoid touching your face while wearing a mask. Keep hand sanitizer with you so you can quickly disinfect your hands if you happen to touch or adjust your mask while out in public.

   Warning: Surgical masks and N-95 respirators are critical supplies that are necessary for healthcare workers. If you have a stockpile of these masks, consider donating them to your local hospital.

5. Carry your own disinfecting wipes for carts or baskets. While many stores have disinfecting wipes available, it's better to bring your own just in case. Wipe down the handles of a cart or basket before you use it, then throw your wipe away in the nearest trash can.^[5]

   1. If you have children with you, wipe down the area where they'll be sitting as well as any other part of the cart that they might touch while sitting in it or walking beside you.
6. Avoid touching your face or your phone while shopping. Touching your face or your phone with dirty hands is a good way to expose yourself to the novel coronavirus and other germs. Put your phone in your purse or pocket if you need to have it with you while shopping. Otherwise, it's a good idea to leave it in your car.^[6]

   1. Keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you if possible, or use wipes to clean your hands if you need to touch your face or phone. You can also use disinfecting wipes to clean the surface of your phone.
7. Buy items in quantities that your family needs. With people spending more time at home, it's likely that you'll need to buy larger quantities of food and other household goods than you did before the pandemic. However, hoarding mass quantities of basic goods means there isn't enough left for everyone else.^[7]

   1. Because you want to limit your trips, stock up on food and other essentials that your family will need for the coming week or two. Plan on making a single shopping trip once a week at most.
8. Stay at least 6 ft (1.8 m) away from employees and other shoppers. Practice social distancing while you're out in public. Avoid areas where there are more than 2 or 3 people congregated. If you need items on an aisle with several customers, circle around and come back when they've cleared the area.^[8]

   1. If someone is standing too close to you, don't hesitate to ask them politely to step further away.
9. Pay with a credit or debit card instead of cash. Most stores have machines that allow you to insert your credit or debit card yourself so you don't have to hand it off to the cashier. Paying with a credit or debit card eliminates the necessity of that personal contact, which decreases the exposure for both you and the cashier.^[9]

   1. If you have a no-touch payment app through either your smartwatch or your smartphone, you might consider enabling those to avoid touching the keypad or pen on the payment console.
10. Wash your hands and disinfect after putting your things away. If you have the option, put your groceries in the trunk to transport them home. Bring your groceries in and put them all in a single designated area. Take them out of the bags and put them where they go, then throw away the bags and disinfect the counter where the bags were sitting. Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds to thoroughly clean your hands.^[10]

    1. While there's no evidence supporting the transmission of the virus through food packaging, you might want to wipe down nonporous containers, such as glass or cans, with a disinfectant wipe.^[11]
    2. You might also consider changing clothes after you get home since your clothing was potentially exposed to the virus and might have absorbed it.