The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reiterated advice to wash fruit and vegetables before consuming in order to help avoid the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.
While it is unlikely that the virus can be passed on through eating food, particularly food that has been cooked (which has been shown to be effective in killing similar viruses such as Sars), handling uncooked fresh produce, particularly which has been handled by other shoppers for example, could spread the virus.
The WHO also is also recommending that people avoid using banknotes and store PIN keypads where possible. “All these things would be considered ‘low risk’ of transmission. But all food must be washed before consumption – whether packaged or selected by customers,” explained the WHO’s Dr Margaret Harris.
However, the biggest in-store risk is thought to be from handling fresh produce and packaged goods that have been touched, or coughed and sneezed upon, by an infected person.
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