How To Keep Safe In The Grocery Store During COVID-19

COVID-19 is still a new enough situation that many of us are still figuring out how to shop for groceries or other essentials. In the midst of many state and city stay-at-home orders, we are minimizing trips out in public, but you still need to eat and that means grocery shopping. This post includes numerous tips to help you stay safe while shopping.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now advising that everyone wear cloth face masks (or a cloth that can cover your nose and mouth) when out in public. Many experts could see this advisory forming, based on other countries with lower COVID-19 trajectories than the USA, so even if your area has not made it mandatory it is still a good idea to wear a mask. 

Note: The use of a cloth mask is argued by some to be ineffective, but most research and data shows that it is helpful, and far better than nothing, for you and others. Plus, with the current shortage, it allows more N95 masks to remain available to healthcare professionals.

If you want to know more about the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage and solutions, check out my updated post: Project N95 Launches To Battle 2020 Shortage Of N95 Masks or the continued need and solutions from 3D printing groups from Portland to Miami: Calling All Makers With 3D Printers: Join Critical Mission To Make Face Masks And Shields For 2020 Healthcare Workers or Protect Healthcare Workers: 3D Printer Groups Race To Help 2020 PPE Shortage.

The CDC also has an advisory for shopping. They have a guide to everything you can think of for COVID-19, seriously. See end of post for link.

So, how do you protect yourself while out shopping in grocery stores?

First, try to minimize your shopping time, if you can. Sometimes you cannot, so these tips are aimed at times when you cannot avoid shopping during COVID-19. Based on social media, a man or a woman needs to bake in times like these. 

Second, go during early hours or end of day. I have found lower traffic during both times. Trader Joe’s, Albertsons, Safeway, Costco, and many other stores have special, early-morning hours dedicated for the elderly or other vulnerable populations that may need a bit more time, less pressure, and more distance to feel comfortable while out shopping. 

Third, if there is no online ordering and delivery in your area, check if your local store has a mobile ordering option with curbside pickup. That allows a worker to put it in your car directly and easily. Many have set up workers to do just this, with better personal protective equipment (PPE) than you may have. If you can tip workers via the online ordering process, that is a good thing to do. 

Even in major metropolitan areas, and some smaller cities, where online ordering and delivery is possible — it is not always quick. Actually, even in big metros, since everyone is doing it, delivery times are slower, or delayed. If no delivery options exist, try to do curbside pickup at the store (some apps listed at end). If getting curbside, and you can, get out and open your trunk as the worker brings out your order.

My COVID-19 Grocery Shopping Madness, er, Method If You Cannot Get Delivery or Curbside Pickup

I am not normally a germaphobe-type person, but due to various health issues in my past I have realized that I need to be careful. So, I have started thinking through my intended actions while out in public, running through the stops beforehand in my mind, and determining what I will do when I return home. Here’s some of my madness…door to door.

• Clean DIY cloth masks
• Rubber or disposable gloves
• Sanitizing wipes
• Organizing boxes in trunk
• Cleaning station in garage at home
• Thinking ahead to what I am in store to do and how I will do it
• One hand, one card

There’s a basket of clean cloth masks (I usually grab two) and dish-washing rubber gloves at the front door of my house to take with me to the car. There are sanitizing wipes in the car already. I have several empty, sturdy boxes in the trunk of the car to stow various items without having to fuss with arranging them carefully after I am done shopping. 

I minimize what I am carrying from my vehicle to the store. I leave my wallet behind and only carry in the one card I intend to use. I remind myself to use only one hand in public. Wearing a mask is a great reminder not to touch your face. Sometimes I have a glove on, sometimes not. 

For example, my left pocket keeps my car key and one disinfectant wipe. I try really hard to keep that left hand reserved and clean for touching surfaces later, like my door handle, or key. I have DIY or store-bought disinfecting wipes and I carry one into the store with me for cleaning the card before putting it back in my pocket. When I pick up any and all items in the store, I use my right hand and manage the one credit card (via tap or swipe) with the right hand, from my right pocket.

Many stores offer or already wipe down or spray their carts (but not always the hand-carry kind) so I take the cart and take care to only touch the main handle. In fact, I have avoided stores that are not doing this cleaning step. 

In Costco, for example, I set my purchases in the cart with barcodes up so the clerk can use the hand scanner and not touch the items. You would not believe how happy this makes the checkout clerk and bagging team. They do not have to touch my stuff and that benefits them and me. I load the stuff into my sturdy boxes in the trunk. 

There is a staging area in my garage where grocery bags or boxes go as I return. On that work table is a diluted bleach solution (see my upcoming post on making your own disinfectant wipes) with a hand towel so I can wipe down some of the packaged grocery items, if needed. 

WARNING: Do not use a cleaning solution or other disinfecting products on food directly (fruits, veggies, etc). I am wiping down packaging in this above step. Bleach and other disinfecting agents are not to be used directly on produce or any food you will eat. (See FDA link below and read it.)

I know that CDC and others state that coronavirus cannot live on packaging, but they also insisted there was no need for cloth masks for the general public, either. Protect yourself. It does not hurt to be cautious. 

Before you comment on this post asking me why I am not staying home and am out in public for what appears to be a lot of time. Overall, it is only a few times per week. However, I am actually out more than I would like to be since I am either dropping off 3D printed PPE for healthcare workers, running errands for others who cannot do it for themselves, or my own grocery shopping.

While out, for sure, I am masked up with either one of my own shop N95s or, more likely, a DIY cloth mask that others have kindly made for me. My teenage son, eager to be involved in helping, is building a listing of all the places around the country where volunteers are making masks for others who need or want them. 

After grocery packages get a turn on that cleaning station table, I let things air dry, then put them in their appropriate place. Then I put all clothes, masks, gear that went into the public realm into the washer.

I will say it again – be cautious when out in public and when you get back home. All of these steps take but a few minutes. It takes only a few minutes more to clean your purchases. What else do you have going on during your stay-at-home? The pandemic baking can wait a few minutes. 

Other resources:

Running Essential Errands on the CDC site.

Shopping for Food During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Information for Consumers at the FDA.

One of my favorite markets in Western Washington is Central Market. In normal times, this market is amazing and serves as third place that rivals the best Starbucks (Sorry, Howard) and they have a waitlist program so that too many people are not in the store at one time. It is possible to reserve a spot. I think other stores might want to test this out.

Get the Walmart Grocery app (Android or iPhone) if you have one near you and it lets you order and get notified when your order is ready for pickup. Curbside pickup is free, by the way.

Safeway also has a Grocery Pickup app that offers similar services.

Many of your favorite stores probably have a COVID-19 plan in place to keep workers and you safe. Let me know if there is an app you are using that can help others stay safe and I will try to include it in here in an update.